


Let It Snow

by BearsBeetsBSG



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Christmas, Confessions, F/M, Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-29
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:54:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 32,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27767857
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BearsBeetsBSG/pseuds/BearsBeetsBSG
Summary: On Christmas Eve, Emily brings Reid to her mother's annual holiday party. Even after six years, the two have never confessed how they feel about each other, certain neither could ever feel the same way. But with some bad weather, a little Christmas magic, and an unlikely matchmaker, Reid and Emily may find everything they've wanted has been right in front of them all along.
Relationships: Emily Prentiss/Spencer Reid
Comments: 2
Kudos: 45





	1. Mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

> Set during season 7. Originally published in 2011 on FF.net under a different name.

**January 1st, 12:01 AM**

It was like all their friends had just been given a shot of Novocain. The rest of the team stared at Reid and Emily in shock. This was completely unexpected, bringing a sudden stop their joyous New Year's Eve party.

"Oh... my God," Garcia finally cried, her eyes darting back and forth between the strange sight.

"It's not that big a deal, guys," Emily huffed, nervously brushing her hair off her flushed face. She felt Reid's hand land on the small of her back. Feeling his silent support was reassuring.

"Not that big a deal?" Hotch asked, his voice hard and stern. He had shifted so quickly back from his relaxed self, becoming the strict unit chief once again. "How long has this been going on?"

"Seven days and two hours, sir... approximately" Reid replied quickly.

"Is that the truth or are you giving me a derisive answer?" Hotch barked, frightening the young man a bit.

"No, sir, it's the truth." Reid shook his head. "It... started a week ago."

"On Christmas Eve?" Morgan asked, and couldn't stop the smirk spreading on his face. "Did Santa finally get your letter?"

"Shut up!" Reid yelled. It was unbelievable how quickly things had turned. A few minutes ago, he had been a happy carefree man in love. Now he was staring down the precipice of ruining his team and destroying his career. Amazing how life could change from one minute to the next. A perfect metaphor for a new year.

"Okay!" Rossi cried, immediately stopping whatever ugly turn this was about to make. "This didn't just happen on a whim. You both are rational people. You wouldn't be taking a risk like this unless something major happened between you."

"That's true," JJ agreed. "What exactly happened this Christmas that brought you two together?"

Reid and Emily glanced at each other. They hadn't intended on revealing this today, or for a long time for that matter. Were they ready to bring their friends into the perfect world they created?

"Actually, I'd like to hear this, too." Hotch said. His tone had softened, and it seemed their friend had returned. Though he worried for the strength and stability of the team, he did care about them.

At least they could put off any consequences for a little while. Emily shrugged, claiming his hand. "Should we tell them?"

"I suppose there's no hiding it now." Reid said with a twitch of a smile. Gripping Emily's hand, he led her over to the sofa. "Why doesn't everyone take a seat?"

The entire team complied, gathering around the couple like children anxious to hear a story from their parents. The two sat side by side, Reid's arm around Emily as he held her close to him. It seemed so natural, the both of them together.

The best place to start was always the beginning. With one last look in Emily's beautiful brown eyes, Reid found the courage to begin. "I guess it all started last week... at the BAU Christmas party..."

* * *

**December 22nd, Three Days Before Christmas**

_"Oh the weather outside is frightful  
_ _But the fire is so delightful  
_ _And since we've no place to go  
_ _Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow..."_

The BAU was incredibly festive tonight. Green and red could be seen everywhere, mixed with evergreen wreaths and garlands and flashing twinkle lights. It was hard to believe such solemn and heartbreaking events took place here the rest of the year, because tonight was such a warm and happy place. Everyone was having a grand time.

Almost everyone. One person wasn't particularly enjoying himself. Reid had planted himself by the refreshment table and was already working on his fifth cupcake. Like a child, he carefully licked off the swirled green and white frosting before devouring the yellow cake beneath.

_"Oh it doesn't show signs of stopping  
_ _And I've brought some corn for popping  
_ _The lights are turned way down low  
_ _Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow..."_

The music was bright and cheerful, but all it did was make Reid even more depressed, especially songs like this. He'd be happy when the season was over, and could jump headfirst into his work again at the beginning of the year. Just thinking of yet another Yuletide era spent exactly the same way as so many before made his stomach feel empty and twisted and so reached for another cupcake. Eating feelings was a psychological cooping technique to remove feelings of emptiness in a person. Thank goodness he had the metabolism to fight it.

While his attention focused on yet another cupcake, someone else's attention was focused on him. Emily was on the other side of the unit, leaning against her desk while holding a red plastic cup with eggnog. Store bought stuff from a carton without a trace of alcohol. It was a shame, she could use a buzz right now. The music swirled around her as she stared at Reid with longing. She loved the way he licked off the icing, so slow and delicate, making her wish he was doing that to her.

"Hey," a voice said beside her, grabbing her attention. "Having a good time?"

Emily turned to find Garcia had joined her, holding her own glass of eggnog. She had put streaks of red and green in her sunny blonde hair. A headband sat on her head with reindeer antlers. A bright smile on her face brought the whole outfit together.

Faking a smile, "Yeah... just a little tired. I'm going to get a lot of sleep over the next week. I don't expect I'll get out of bed until Rossi's New Year's Eve party."

"Sounds like a plan." She grinned with a wink. "And will anyone be joining you during this week in bed?"

"Garcia!" She blushed, unable to stop her smile. Sometimes, Emily swore their technical goddess could read thoughts. "Please, that's the last thing on my mind!"

She glanced one more time at the object of her burning desire. Though she had missed everyone while she was in Paris, he was the one she thought of the most. It devastated her to leave him. If she had known the pain she would put him through, not to mention the possibility of never seeing him again, Emily would have made it a priority to tell him her true feelings before everything spun out of control.

Following her gaze, Garcia looked across the room and sure enough spotted Reid. Thankfully, she misunderstood Emily's constant attention on him. "Oh, I see... things are still a little rocky between you guys, huh?"

"Yeah," Emily muttered, looking down into the swirls of her drink. "Ironically, I miss him more now than I did in Paris. I sit right beside him and... it's not like it used to be."

"Sweetie, he's just angry." Garcia patted her arm kindly. "Reid has real abandonment issues, this isn't easy for him to process, even with that outrageous mind of his. You should spend some time together, just the two of you. Let him learn to trust you again."

That was good advice, regardless of Emily's true feelings for the man. She lifted her drink for a sip while saying, "That's sound advice, Babe. I just may follow that."

"Make it a new year's resolution." She noted, tapping her plastic cup against Emily's.

Swallowing, Emily hopped off the desk waving her empty cup at her friend. "Tank's empty, I'll be back." And made her way across the bull pen to the refreshment table.

_"Oh the fire is slowly dying,  
_ _and my dear, we're still goodbying  
_ _But as long as you love me so,  
_ _Let it snow, let it snow, let is now..."_

Reid felt someone come into his area, looking to the bowl of eggnog to see. He tensed a bit as he saw it was Emily. She looked very elegant, a bit more casual than her usual work attire. His eyes moved along her curves, taking in her figure adorned in a red sweater. Oh, she looked so good in a red. Many of his fantasies included her in some sexy red lingerie, hovering over him like some sultry temptress. Looking down, her legs and backside were covered in black denim, so tight it was like a second skin on her bottom half. She was exquisite. Even when he was in torment over her return, he couldn't deny just how beautiful she was. Reid wondered if he would have been so mad at her... if he hadn't felt this way.

Glancing over, Emily felt her heart flutter as she realized Reid was looking at her. "Something wrong?"

"Just... noticing that's your third serving of eggnog." Reid teased. "I hope you're not driving."

"It's rum extract, Reid. The only thing it's going to do is leave a nasty after taste in my mouth." Emily teased, flashing him a smile that made him lightheaded. "Can I get you a glass?"

"Uh..." Reid thought for a moment. "No thanks... I don't think I'm going to be here much longer."

"Yeah, it doesn't matter where you work, these office things are all the same." Emily said, taking a sip. Her body suddenly had a mind of its own. She had to have one of Garcia's homemade sugar cookies several plates away. She reached over Reid, much closer than was necessary and grabbed a frosted star.

Reid couldn't think as she ever so slightly pressed herself against him. He almost blacked out, trying to fight his body's natural response. He inhaled the gentle scent of vanilla wafting off of her. He wondered if her skin tasted just as creamy and sweet as it looked.

"Sugar and empty calories isn't a decent dinner. Maybe we could take off and hit that 24 hour diner you like for some real food." Emily hinted with a smile.

He wanted to be alone with her so bad. Their friendship had been shaky since she returned, mainly because he wasn't sure what to do. For seven months, he tried to cope with his feelings, knowing he lost the woman he loved. Now that she was back, he was so twisted and confused, he didn't even know how to talk to her without getting angry.

"I don't think so." Reid mumbled with a sad shrug. "Merry Christmas, Emily."

And with that, he started to walk away, disappearing into the crowd of happy, merry agents. Emily held back tears as she stared down at her half eaten cookie. The cheerful song of two people so in love, they couldn't be separated drowned out her sad reply. "Merry Christmas, Reid."

* * *

**January 1st, 12:20 AM**

"I can't believe you two had feelings for each other all this time." JJ exclaimed, her legs folded under her on the couch across from the couple. She listened intently to the story, just like the rest of them.

"Imagine our surprise." Emily smiled, looking lovingly at her new boyfriend, grinning just as happily at her. "It was... the main reason Spencer was so mad when I came back."

"Yeah..." Reid turned to JJ, remorseful. "Don't get me wrong, I was upset... but most of my anger and frustration was... because of the way I felt for Emily. I took it out on you, JJ... I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Spence." She nodded.

"But this is before the kiss, though, right?" Morgan asked, curious.

"Yes," Emily replied, blushing a bit as she remembered. "Actually, it was right before."

"Kiss?" Hotch asked, confused. "What kiss?"

She noticed Reid's face was turning red, just like it had last time. Smiling, she continued the tale. "I thought Reid had left and was pretty sure I lost any chance to admit how I felt about him. So, I was all set to head to a bar and get completely plastered..."

* * *

**December 22nd**

Emily didn't want to stay anymore. She wasn't in a very jolly mood right now and wished to drown herself in a very large bottle of vodka. She should consider this a good thing. Agents couldn't fraternize, especially ones in the same unit. What good did she expect to come of this? It was just the holiday that was making her depressed. She'd have to endure the same routine once again this year, with the same forced smile on her face that this was the exact life she always wanted. Emily wasn't sure if she could put herself through that again.

She buttoned up her coat to protect herself from the nip in the outside air. Her bag went over her shoulder and she headed out from the party, not even bothering to find her friends and wish them a happy holiday.

Just outside the glass doors, however, it appeared she wasn't the only one taking her leave. Morgan and JJ stood by the elevators, talking happily after such a joyous celebration. To Emily's surprise, she spotted Reid there with them, looking much more pleasant than a few minutes ago.

"Hey," JJ smiled as Emily joined them. "Are you leaving already?"

"Yeah," She exhaled. "I'm tired... this last case really took it out on me, I'm ready to start my vacation. Unless... anyone's interested in getting a drink?"

"Prentiss, I'd be the first one to take you up on that offer." Morgan answered. "But I've got a flight to Chicago in three hours, I've got to get home and pack."

"You haven't packed yet?" Reid asked. "How are you supposed to get a week's worth of clothes and supplies packed and still get to the airport on time?"

"Why do you care?" He wondered.

"Because a lot can happen that you should be prepared for when catching a commercial flight. For instance, there could be a problem at security, the plane could be delayed, they could misplace your reservation. That's why it's best to get to the airport at least an hour before your flight, how do you expect to manage that when you're not even ready to leave?"

Morgan let out a grumble. "Wow, I really need a vacation from you people."

"I'd love to join you, Em, but I've got to get home and get to bed." JJ said. "I have a lot of Christmas shopping to do tomorrow. It's kind of unfair, doing all this work and preparation and Santa gets all the credit."

"But you know it's worth it when he opens those presents on Christmas morning." Emily smiled, giving her arm a friendly pat.

"Yeah," JJ's eyes twinkled, thinking of her and Will watching their little boy, lightening up with happiness in a few days. "The joys of parenthood."

"What about you, Reid?" Emily asked, looking at him with caution. "You didn't tell us... what's your holiday plans this year?"

He wouldn't even look at her. "Oh, you know… the usual."

"Which would be...?" Morgan wondered.

Reid shuffled a bit, looking down at his feet. "It's nothing, really... the same thing I do every year. What about you?" He glanced at Emily, pleading with her silently to change the subject.

She immediately got the hint. "Spending it with my mother. Sometimes I can get out of it, but... well, with everything that happened this year, I couldn't make any plans."

"Hey!" JJ exclaimed, looking up to the ceiling. The other three were startled by her cry, turning to her. "You guys are under the mistletoe!"

Confused, both everyone looked above them. Indeed, a sprig of mistletoe had been fastened to the ceiling. Just below it stood none other than Reid and Emily.

"Well," Morgan smirked, "You guys know the rules."

Reid tensed again, looking away. "It's made of plastic and it's a silly, outdated tradition from the 18th century.

"I agree, it's archaic." Emily muttered, feeling warm all over. She begged the elevator to speed up and get her out of this holly hell."

"So what!" JJ cried, grinning. "It's fun; just a little kiss. Come on, it's Christmas."

Reid looked out of the corner of his eye and found Emily meeting his gaze again. They obliged, secretly delighted to finally get this chance. They turned to each other and Reid gave a shrug.

"Christmas comes but once a year." He said with a small smile.

"You're right," She noticed how his face was turning red. As badly as she wanted to wrap him in her arms and kiss him like he was returning from war, she controlled herself.

She and Reid approached each other, as close as possible without touching. Reid leaned down and pecked her cheek lightly, getting the same gesture from her.

"Wow, that was hot." Morgan deadpanned. "What are you guys in junior high now?"

"Yeah, that was pathetic." JJ agreed, titling her head in disbelief. "We're all friends here, give her a real kiss!"

It was like they knew the torture they were putting them through. Emily stood before Reid, wondering whether he would comply or turn and decide to take the stairs. Reid swallowed nervously, stepping closer.

And then it happened. Without a word, Reid leaned down and brought her into a kiss, his lips grasping onto hers like they were his property. She was in his complete control and couldn't help emitting a gentle whimper, her hands grabbing his upper arms so as not to lose her balance.

It didn't end in an instant. Reid suddenly lost control of himself and reached down to wrap her gorgeous body in his arms, pulling her against him. She gasped in his mouth, every inch of his body against hers... and from what she could feel, the kiss was not entirely platonic to him, either.

He needed to breathe, and yet Reid wouldn't let her go. As soon as he did, she would slip from his hands forever. He wanted her so badly, wanting to scoop her up and carry her away, taking her where they could be alone, and act out every fantasy he'd ever envisioned with her. She was so warm and soft. Her gloved hands on his arms drove him crazy, longing to feel her touch on his naked skin.

At last, he could take no more. Reid pulled away from her and Emily immediately gulped to catch her breath. She stumbled, completely swept off her feet. It took her a few moments to find her footing, clutching on him until her legs stopped shaking.

Reid stared down at her for a long time, watching the pleasure that had appeared on her face. He never thought he could make her look like that from just a kiss. Normally, she seemed so together and composed. Now, she was disheveled, confused. It made her look even lovelier.

"Wow," Morgan muttered, this time much more sincere. "I stand corrected."

"Yeah, that was..." JJ shook her head, almost as flabbergasted as Emily. "Incredible."

"I take it you're satisfied, then?" Reid asked. Emily tried to gather her composure, pretending that was not the most spectacular thing that ever happened to her. She kept stealing glances at Reid, noticing how red and warm his face looked, so embarrassed. He never looked in her direction.

"I gotta say, kid, I think you're holding out on us." Morgan teased. "I wonder if you're more experienced with women than you've led us to suspect."

The elevator at last arrived and the four climbed on. "I never led you to anything, Morgan. You just assume, like you always do."

"Yeah," Emily mumbled, the sensual pressure on her lips slowly ebbing away. "People tend to assume a lot of things."

They made it down to the garage and parted ways, everyone calling out the last of the season's greetings to each other. Reid was about to unlock his car when he spotted Emily passing by. "Going home?"

"Yeah," She called. "I'm not in the mood to drink alone." _Not anymore_ , she thought.

"Where's your car?" He asked, looking around.

"It's on the other side." She pointed down. "I got here late this morning."

It may be the parking garage of the FBI, but it was still dark and cold, an ominous place for a woman to be alone. "Get in, I'll drive you over."

"It's just down there." She assured.

"Then it won't take more than a few minutes, come on." She was about to refuse when he gave her a warm, friendly smile. Oh, she hadn't seen that smile in almost a year. Without another word, Emily went to the car, climbing into the passenger's side.

"Did you hear about the snow that's supposed to hit?" Emily asked as Reid started the car. "We might have a white Christmas."

"Did you know in Australia, Santa Claus' attire is that of swimming trunks and sunglasses. It's because it's summer there, so the idea of Santa in a snow suit is a little ridiculous."

"No..." Emily tried not to laugh. "I did not know that, Reid. Maybe that's where I should have gone. Hot weather and Christmas is actually a perfect combination, and a much better option than what's awaiting me in a few days."

At last, Reid put the car into drive and carefully pulled out of the space, checking all around for fellow drivers. No doubt, an agent or two from the party would have snuck in some booze and would decide to drive home. The last thing they needed was a car accident.

"So... you're spending Christmas with your mother?" Reid asked, slowly heading down through the garage.

"Unfortunately, yes, I'm stuck going to my mother's party on Christmas Eve." Emily grumbled with a roll of her eyes. "And I know she'll talk me into coming for Christmas dinner as well. Can you imagine anything more boring than making mandatory small talk with mind numbing politicians and diplomats, all of which asking me the same questions. Forget that I'm an FBI agent in one of the most sophisticated and difficult divisions in the Bureau, that I've caught countless international and domestic criminals and saved so many people all across the country. They all make me feel bad about myself because I'm forty, childless, and unmarried."

She hadn't meant to unload all that to Reid in that moment. In fact, she had never revealed that to anyone.

He, however, gave a twitch of a grin. "I'm sorry... it makes me feel a little better about my plans."

"What are your plans?" She asked, curious. "Heading to Vegas to see your mom?"

"No," He shook his head, and went silent for a long time. Emily thought that was the end of the conversation until he finally replied, "My mom never approved of Christmas, claiming it was some pagan, uncivilized celebration. She actually gets insulted when anyone wishes happy holidays to her."

"So what are you going to do?" She wondered, actually scared to hear the answer.

Again, he hesitated. Finally, he said in a low voice, "Just... order Chinese food and watch the Doctor Who Christmas Special."

She couldn't help but stare at him. "Reid... you're going to be all alone?"

"Oh, don't worry about it." He shrugged, putting on a brave smile. "I'm used to it."

Emily wanted to cry. She couldn't believe she was complaining about some party when her poor friend was going to be all alone. And worse, he was used to it.

"Is that it over there?" He asked, spotting her car on the left, two spots away from the end.

Startled, Emily looked over. She saw her vehicle and cleared her throat. "Yes, that's it. Thanks, Reid, I appreciate it."

"No problem," Reid said, his smile this time much more kind. "Merry Christmas, Emily."

"Merry Christmas," She exhaled. Gripping her bag, Emily opened the car door. A woosh of cold air struck her, but she couldn't pull herself out.

"Something wrong?" Reid asked, concerned.

At that, Emily slammed the door shut again. "I was just thinking... would you like to come to my mother's party with me?"

"I'm sorry?" He must have misunderstood.

"Look, I'm not going to lie. It's an incredibly boring social event and... you're definitely going to hate me when it's over, but..." She shrugged with a gentle simper. "I don't know... you've got nothing to do and... I'd love to have a friend there. Someone I can have a real conversation with, who won't make me want to drown myself in the spiced punch. And then... if you like, Christmas Day... you and I could hang out. It would get me out of dinner with my mother."

Reid's heart was thudding so loud, he was sure she could hear it. "I don't know, Emily... do you really think I'd fit in with all those socialites?"

"Please?" Emily begged. "It would mean so much to me. I will owe you big time."

He was not fooled. Reid knew she was trying to appeal to him by making it seem like it was some favor. But a stuffy party with the girl of his dreams seemed a lot better than take out and a fictional time traveler.

"Pick you up at 8?" He asked, flashing her a signature smile.

"I'll see you then." She said happily. "Oh, and... the attire is semi-formal so... you'll have to wear a suit and tie."

"Brilliant," He grumbled, but grinned just the same. A light pink glowed in his cheeks, though. "See you then."

Emily finally climbed out of the car. Reid gave a friendly honk of his horn and drove off, leaving her alone. Clutching her keys, Emily went to the driver's side of the car, feeling like she was walking on air. Maybe she couldn't have him, but by December 26th, she was going to have her best friend back.


	2. The Snow Starts

**January 1st, 12:43 AM**

"Reid!" Garcia exclaimed, appalled. "I can't believe you were going to spend Christmas alone!"

"Yeah, why didn't you say anything?" JJ asked. "You could have had dinner with us."

"You could have joined us, too." Hotch said, sympathetic. "No one should be alone on Christmas."

Reid tensed uncomfortably, looking away from everyone. "This is exactly why I never say anything... everyone takes pity on me and insists I come to their home... I prefer to be by myself."

"But why?" Morgan asked.

"I don't know," He moved his arm from behind Emily, reaching to take her hand. He squeezed it tightly for support. "I never celebrated Christmas, even as a kid. I don't have any family and I don't want to be a burden... so I stay at home and pretend it's just another day."

"So why did you decide to go with Emily on Christmas Eve?" Rossi wondered.

His hanging head finally came up. A small, embarrassed simper on his face, "Why do you think? I'm in love with her, I... I wanted to spend some time with her. Just as friends... I never expected anything to happen."

"Oh, I'm intrigued!" Garcia exclaimed. "What happened at this party?"

"A lot more than what usually happens at my mother's events, I will say..." Emily continued. "Well... as those of you who were still in town know, the snow started midafternoon. And... at first it didn't seem so bad..."

* * *

**December 24th, Christmas Eve**

Perhaps this dress was a bit too suggestive. She didn't want to look too alluring tonight. After all, it was cold out and the last thing she wanted was her mother lecturing her for not dressing appropriate in front of her friends. Besides, she wasn't supposed to be concerned with trying to get his attention; tonight was about spending time with Reid. To becoming friends again... but if she could get a second glance out of him, that wouldn't be unappreciated.

Emily wore a long burgundy red dress. It started from the shoulder straps and slight plunging neck line. The fabric dropped all the way down to just below her knees, draping around her black nylon legs. It wasn't anything too provocative, but it didn’t hide her pleasing form, either.

She decided to leave her hair down. It made her feel more relaxed and if she were calm, maybe Reid would be able to open up to her. Talk to her about how he felt, what was bothering him. Even if he admitted that he hated her, at least that was getting his feelings out in the open. And after that, they could work together to move past them.

The ring of the doorbell distracted her. Emily grabbed her gold watch off the dresser and looked, it was already 10 to 8. Reid was annoyingly on time and she hadn't even put on her makeup yet. Quickly, she dashed from the bedroom to answer the call.

* * *

Several times over the last two days, Reid picked up the phone to cancel. He wasn't sure if he could do this, be her escort at her mother's holiday party. Reid couldn't fit in, he didn't know how to act or make conversation. He was awkward and tense in crowds. He couldn't even relate to his own peers, let alone the most prominent members of country. Emily was born into that world. Deny it all she liked, she was a part of those people.

Emily was better than those people were. He never admitted it, but he couldn't deny how incredible what she'd done was. Facing Doyle all alone, then remaining in Paris just to keep everyone safe. He wanted to tell her that, that despite how much it hurt, he was proud of her... but every time he thought about it, it just twisted his stomach into knots. He couldn't get over all that pain... losing her, saying goodbye to her at the grave site... hating himself because he never told her the truth.

Yet, now she was back and he still couldn't tell her. It was obvious who was the brave one in this friendship... but he couldn't risk losing her. Not again. And losing her friendship was a lot worse than losing her life.

The snow was getting thicker, laying on the streets and sidewalks in fat bunches. The homes and shops on the blocks were decorated for Christmas. There were wreaths and poinsettias, twinkling lights and plastic reindeer lining every street. With the falling snow, DC was turning into a Christmas fairy land. Reid thought of what happy families could be nestled in these warm, festive homes beginning to celebrate the holiday tonight. He couldn't help but smile as he thought of his godson. Henry must be already in bed by now, of course he won't be able to sleep. He would be too excited for Santa Claus to come. He hoped Henry would like the present he got him, partially wishing he could see him when he opened it, just like JJ was talking about the other day. Sometimes, it was awful being alone... with no family to come home to.

Emily's brownstone was on the corner. Her home wasn't decorated like the others. Understandable; when would she find the time? There was a spot in front of her neighbors and Reid pulled in to park. He hated having to go out into this cold, but he was a gentleman. And a gentleman always met his lady at the door.

Hopefully, these streets would be salted by the time they got home. Reid carefully made his way down the littered streets, hurrying up the steps to Emily's front door.

At least she had made a bit of an effort. On either side of the top stoop, Emily had set two plants of poinsettias, the snow beginning to cover the leaves and petals. It was such a beautiful sight, and Reid couldn't help but snicker. The flower was a perfect metaphor for Emily. Something so elegant and beautiful, but could certainly have a lethal side.

Reid rang the doorbell and tried to wait patiently in the cold. The foyer light was on, though it was difficult to see inside through the frosted door. He'd been to Emily's home before, but only to pick her up and drop her off. He'd actually never been past the front stoop.

The intercom sounded beside the bell. Emily's voice called, "Reid, it's open. Come on in."

Without a response, Reid grabbed the handle and quickly opened the door. The warmth of the home washed over him as he stepped in. The hall was well lit, leading off to a few different rooms. Straight ahead, there was a swinging door, which he assumed lead to the kitchen. Off to the side was a set of French doors, and through the glass he spotted a sitting room. It looked elegant, but unused. He doubted Emily entertained much, especially now when she was just getting her life back together.

"Emily?" He called up the stairs, not wanting to travel to the second floor.

"I'm running a bit late, I'll be right down!" She called from above.

"Take your time." He assured, though he felt awkward just standing here. There was a large mirror on the wall to his right, catching his appearance. His hair was a little damp from the fallen snow, his cheeks reddened from the cold. His confidence plummeted at the sight of himself. He should never have agreed to go through with this.

At last, Emily was dressed and ready. She walked carefully down the stairs, not wanting to slip in her stockings. Her heels were in hand. As she appeared in the light of the hall, she smiled, "Sorry about that." Her elegant crimson lips turning up into a charming smile.

Reid was silent as he stared at her. She was stunning, absolutely stunning. The way her hourglass body moved in that dress, her eyes bright and sparkling, her lips perfect and kissable... Reid was at a complete loss for words... how was it possible for someone to look that beautiful? It almost wasn't fair.

It was the exact expression she was hoping for. Speechless. Reid had never seen her like this. They'd all spent time together as a team and she'd worn suggestive outfits around him, but nothing quite this extravagant. She had been saving this dress for a special occasion... who knew it would actually be her mother's party.

"Aren't you going to be cold?" He finally asked.

Her smile faded. She tried not to sigh or roll her eyes at his lack of acknowledgement. Didn't he know you're supposed to comment a woman's appearance? "I just need my coat, I'll be fine."

She set her shoes on the floor and carefully slipped them on. Emily really loathed heels, but any other pair wouldn't go with this dress and still be suitable for traveling in this weather. She carefully stood, adjusting to the new difference in height.

"Ready?" Reid asked.

Emily turned, about to answer and was surprised. Just like a real date, Reid had grabbed her coat and stood with it ready and open. Her smile reappeared as she turned, allowing him to help it on her.

"Thank you," Emily muttered as she fastened each button. She grabbed her large pocket book off the table. She felt so unprepared, carrying her gun in badge in here instead of on her person, but odds were she wouldn't need it tonight anyway. The only reason she brought either of them was protocol. "Ready when you are."

Reid walked over to the door. The cold washed over them as he opened it wide."After you," He grinned, allowing her to pass first.

Emily flashed him an appreciative smile, stepping out. If someone had told her just a few days ago she'd be excited to go to her mother's party, she would have said that was insane.

* * *

**January 1st, 12:51 AM**

Garcia couldn't help but catch JJ's eye, surprised by this sudden change of demeanor. "Reid, I never knew you were such a gentleman."

He blushed a bit as Emily smiled at him. She wanted to laugh. If they thought that was polite, they had no idea just how chivalrous the young genius really was.

"I can't believe you guys went out in that storm, though." Hotch said. "Jack and I were supposed to go to the Christmas Parade that night, but I refused to leave the house."

"Well, it was still a pretty light fall, then." Reid said. "I didn't think it was going to get much worse... and thank goodness, if we had decided not to go..." He smiled at Emily, "...this would never have happened."

He reached over and pressed a kiss to her forehead, and Emily closed her eyes at the feel. The girls awed softly; it was just too adorable to ignore.

"Anyway," Emily exhaled, opening her eyes again. "The ride to the party was... pretty tense. I just assumed it was because Reid really didn't want to be alone with me."

"I was so rigid because I didn't know how to get through this when I wanted her so badly." Reid admitted. "I was certain Emily would never want anything to do with me. Not like that. And I didn't want to make a fool myself."

"So how did you guys get together?" Morgan questioned, a little impatient.

Emily giggled as Reid smirked, "We're getting there..."

* * *

**December 24th**

It was amazing how easy it was to stare at someone when he was driving. Reid was much too focused on navigating through the snow to pay much attention to her. In fact, they hadn't said a word since they got into the car.

The street lights flashed one by one as they drove through town, illuminating Reid's face each time. He was such a handsome man, with enchanting eyes and the most hypnotizing smile. Emily had been there, on his lips, completely under his spell... he had the softest lips she'd ever felt, and that kiss... it was the most amazing thing she'd ever experienced. Whether it was tomorrow or in fifty years, that kiss would be her last thought when she died.

He was trying to focus on his breathing, in and out slowly. He tried to breathe through his mouth because her perfume was making him dizzy. It was something sweet and salty at the same time, like a tropical island. If he closed his eyes, he could easily imagine he and Emily lost on some white sandy beach, completely immersed in the essence of each other. But he couldn't do that. He had to keep calm if he was going to get through this.

"I can't thank you enough for coming with me." Emily said once they'd made it to the highway. The snow wasn't quite so bad here, but even with the help of rock salt, it was falling and covering the roads fast. Reid tried not to think about the drive home in a few hours.

"It's no problem." Reid said, taking a glance at her. "Thank you for inviting me."

"You may rethink that gratitude once we've been there for five minutes." She said in a partial groan.

"Too bad you aren't still in Paris, then." He mentioned.

Was it her imagination? That sounded more like a friendly joke than a bitter remark. "I'm sure my mother would still have found a way to make me feel guilty, even if it was a matter of national security."

"Wait..." Reid mumbled, processing this new information. "Your mother knew you were alive?"

Emily wanted to kick herself. How could she have said that? Reid was angry enough, he still hadn't accepted what happened, how was he going to respond to this?

"That's really not fair," He uttered, trying to keep his voice low.

"Reid... please, I don't want to fight about this." Emily begged. She was starting to regret her invitation.

"It's just... Emily, you barely speak to your mother, you see us on a daily basis. We're more your family than your own flesh and blood. How come she got to know?" He asked. Another flash of the street light lit up his face again. His eyes were glowing with sadness. The poor thing was in so much pain over this, and Emily had no idea how to make this better.

"I guess they thought it was important to tell her because she's my next of kin." Emily explained. "Hotch and JJ made the decision... I assume they figured since I'm not close to my mother, Doyle wouldn't consider going after her to get to me. You guys were in the most danger... especially you."

"Me?" Reid squeaked. He pulled onto the exit, skidding a bit on the icy road. He needed to calm down if he was going to control this car. "Why me?"

The truth to that, Emily could not say. If she did... Reid would know everything. Quickly, she thought of a lie. "Because Doyle would assume, if I had confided in you... you would remember everything flawlessly. You would be his first choice, I'm sure. And believe me... your life is worth a hell of lot more than mine."

Reid wasn't sure he agreed to that. If she only knew what she truly meant to him. "Look..." She reached over, brushing his forearm with a gentle gloved hand. "It's Christmas. Let's not let this ruin that. Can we please just... try to move past this? Even if it's just tonight?"

That was easier said than done. Was he supposed to just ignore everything? Hearing that she was gone, that he had lost her forever and would never have the chance to be with the woman he loved and then suffering through seven months of lonely nights and days of heartache. Even now, at night, he'd fall into the nightmare that he was back in that waiting room and lost her all over again.

But she was right, it was Christmas. It shouldn't be a good enough excuse to change his attitude, but maybe there was a kind of magic in the air, as people tend to believe. He nodded, "Yeah... let's not talk about it anymore... and try to have a good time."

Emily smiled, and for a moment she thought of leaning over to kiss his cheek. Her hand lingered on his arm for several more seconds before she finally sat back in her seat. They would be there soon.

Reid had never been in this area of town before. It was much too fancy for him. Each house was larger and more spectacular than the last. They were elegantly decorated with perfectly lined white lights, some twinkling in the night. Each light post on the side walk was wrapped in evergreen with big red bows just below the bulb. With the falling snow, the whole neighborhood looked like something out of a Dickens novel. It was so perfect, Reid almost thought he were dreaming.

"Make a left here," Emily directed, feeling her nerves getting to her. Her stomach was churning. Reid flipped on the signal and waited several moments at the stop sign to be sure they were safe. He turned onto the next street and Emily pointed. "Down to the next block."

"Your mother's house is on the next block?" He asked, sensing they were close.

She cringed. "Her house is the next block."

Reid didn't understand until he made it down the street. The mansions had begun to thin out a bit, each one having more and more land to its name. On the next block, a long line of iron fencing was seen, guarding the property line from the sidewalk. Reid tried to see through the flakes for their destination, his jaw dropping as it came into sight.

It was a good distance from the road, and he couldn't believe it was considered a house. It was a palace, sitting on top of a small hill, overlooking the whole street. The house called the entire block its own, and it was smartly decorated in white lights. All the windows were glowing, with a large velvet bow in each one.

The car had stopped at a red light. Reid just stared at the place. Emily stared at him anxiously, feeling so self-conscious about this. The others had never been to her mother's home before, except Hotch, and that had been a long time ago. It paled in comparison to any home the others had lived in. That bothered Emily. People didn't take her seriously when they saw how she’d grown up.

"Reid," She urged, shaking his arm a bit. She glanced up at the green traffic light above. At least no one was waiting behind them. "Are you okay?"

His senses came back to him. Reid scanned the area quickly and drove forward. "Where are we supposed to park?"

"The driveway is about halfway down. There'll be plenty of room inside." She assured, sinking back in her seat. Emily was really regretting her decision now. Reid already couldn't see her as a friend anymore. After tonight, he was never going to see her the same again.

He carefully pulled into the driveway. Reid drove up. Sure enough, the winding driveway opened up to a small parking area. At least fifteen cars had already gathered here. He felt a little embarrassed of his white Ford Escort, driving past several Cadillacs and Mercedes Benz. There was an open spot close to the other end. Quickly he pulled in and parked.

He took his time adjusting the collar on his coat, fixing his gloves so they were tight and secure on his hands. He unbuckled his seat belt and just as he was about to open the door, he stopped, looking beside him.

Emily was almost frozen with fear. She sat, staring out the windshield with panic in her eyes, like she was about to be executed for a crime she did not commit. Reid was so shocked, he'd never seen her so scared before.

"Emily," He said softly, his hand resting on her shoulder. "Are you alright?"

His voice seemed to startle her, and she looked to Reid, swallowing as she nodded. "Yeah... I just want to get this over with."

"Well," He may have been nervous, but he was in no hurry to say goodnight to her yet. "I'll try to get you home at a reasonable hour."

To his delight, she smiled and giggled. This was going to be Hell in a holiday card, but at least Reid was here. When the heat was on, his true self came out. He did care about her.

Before she could think, her hand reached up to finally brush a lock of hair behind his ear. Her fingers lingered on his cheek a moment. It was so warm. Emily wanted to warp his whole body around her, guarding her from the cold and all the horrors of the world.

A tingle went through Reid's body at her touch. It was a great effort, but he managed to hide it. "Let's go," Emily finally said, reaching for the door handle.

They started to make their way towards the house. The snow was starting to get so thick, covering the whole world in a blanket of white. Emily reached to lightly grab Reid's upper arm, nervous with every step.

"God, I hate heels." She grumbled, fearful the next step would put her into a cast until Valentine's Day.

"I can imagine," Reid said, watching her walk. "Just take it slow, we're in now hurry."

"Thanks," She smiled at him. "The last thing I need is all my mother's friends to see me fa-"

A patch of ice appeared under her feet, robbing her of her balance. She shrieked as she dropped her pocket book into the snow, quickly grabbing onto her escort to prevent her fall.

Reid's instincts kicked in instantly. With cat-like reflexes, he turned and quickly grabbed onto Emily, wrapping her in his arms. She clung to him for a long time, her eyes closed as she allowed reality to set in.

"Are you all right?" He asked as she slowly opened her eyes.

She exhaled, leaning into him for a bit more support. Emily breathed in the musky scent close to his skin, absorbing the feel of his arms around her, his body so close. Just seconds ago, she was dreaming of being wrapped in his arms... and now it was happening.

Nervously, she cleared her throat and pulled away. She wanted to collapse into his arms, but distance was better right now. "Yes... thank you. That was quick thinking."

"Here," He offered his arm to her again. "You should hang onto me. We'll be inside in a moment."

Emily smiled, reaching down to grab her purse from the frozen flakes at her feet. Just like she was some lady in a romance novel, she hooked her arm with his. Her other hand gripped onto his coat. She flashed a pair of big brown eyes at him. "How kind of you, Dr. Reid. You're such a gentleman."

"If you're impressed by this, you couldn't have met too many gentleman in your life." He noted with a smile. There was something new about that smile. A charismatic sparkle lit up his eyes... he was sweet and polite, but there was something different. Something… she almost believed, flirtatious.

Without another word, the two traveled through the snow to the gorgeous home before them and the awaiting Yuletide celebration inside.


	3. Something to Talk About

**December 24th**

Reid never wanted to let her go. It may have just been her arm, but he felt closer to her than he'd been in ages. For a nanosecond, Reid was able to imagine they weren't two people with a crippled friendship, but instead a couple in love.

They made it to the porch and the oak double front doors, both adorned with a large evergreen wreaths and a red velvet ribbon. There was matching garland around each pillar on the porch and icicle lights hanging over the edge. Each window had a live burning candle. It was such a beckoning sight to the cold travelers outside, leading them into the warmth and joy.

Emily opened the door as they approached and Reid was amazed as she took his hand, leading him inside. The foyer was beautiful, designed in a style of scarlet and gold. The hall was decorated just as appropriately as the outdoors, with more pine and bows, including another garland wrapping around the wood banister, disappearing up the spiral staircase and out of sight. There were several other people already in the room, speaking just a few feet away from them with their hostess.

Reid followed Emily's lead and removed his coat. It revealed her gorgeous burgundy dress once again, illuminated by the bright glow from the crystal chandelier above them. She folded the garment over her arm, at last looking her date up and down.

His attire was not exactly a typical formal outfit. The only thing that seemed appropriate about his appearance was the dress pants he wore, a charcoal black. Instead of a suit jacket, he wore a navy blue cardigan sweater and against his mauve dress shirt was a necktie. The color was an exact match to Emily's dress, which she noticed with delight. When he came to her house, she hadn't spotted them... but indeed on his feet were his usual sneakers.

He felt his cheeks turning red. Reid didn't want to try too hard with Emily, and believed if he dressed like himself, he might be more likely to act like himself. Now he was regretting his decision. "I'm going to stick out, aren't I?"

Yes, he certainly was and Emily couldn't have been more pleased with that. "Reid... you look fantastic." She smiled.

He was fairly certain she was humoring him. He looked over himself. In this new light, he definitely wished he'd pulled one of his few suits out of the back of the closet. They'd been worn so few times, they still looked brand new. "I... I hope I don't embarrass you."

Taking a step closer, Emily placed a soft hand on his shoulder. "You could never embarrass me. You look great, Reid, I'm glad you dressed in something that makes you comfortable. These things can be awfully long and irritating. And besides... you look... like..."

He was desperate to hear what thought was floating around in her head. He knew he wasn't very attractive, not like the men Emily usually went for, but many people had said he was appealing. And there was Morgan’s typical nickname of ‘pretty boy’. He was curious to know what she thought because her opinion was the only one that mattered.

"What?" He pressed.

"You," she said with a shrug. "You look like you."

"That's not exactly a good thing." He muttered, looking away from her.

It pained her to know how little he thought of himself. "Yes, it is, Reid. You're a very handsome man. I can't believe you don't see that. Good thing you're wearing comfortable shoes, I'm sure there are several girls who will want to dance with you tonight."

"Well..." He sighed, wondering if it was her or him that was causing the distance between them to shrink. "I'm not much of a dancer."

Emily grinned, giving his shoulder a brush. "I'll think you'll do just fine."

She met his eyes and suddenly felt frozen. His warm glowing hazel gaze made her feel so safe. She had almost cried when she looked into them again, that night in the conference room. It had been the first thing to make her feel at home. So many nights she dreamed of those eyes, staring into them until her heart was content. They enchanted her and for a second time, Emily thought about kissing his cheek... it may have been her imagination, but she almost swore he was staring right back into her with the same longing.

It was the feeling of a third set that distracted Emily, losing her chance to find out. She turned and found the guests greeting her mother had stepped away. Ambassador Prentiss stood impatiently for her daughter to come and say a mandatory hello.

Swallowing, feeling like some sullen teenager, Emily clutched her coat and lead Reid to meet her. For a moment, it almost seemed like she was trying to shield herself from the intimidating woman.

"Emily," She finally said, her voice echoing a bit in the large hall. "How nice of you to join us... and I see we have yet another gentleman friend by your side."

Reid cringed at that, wondering just how many 'friendly' gentlemen got to join her at these things. They were a lot luckier than he, though. Getting to touch and kiss and hold her, never understanding just what a privilege it was to have this incredible woman. The closest he'd get to being that close to her was putting on her coat.

"Mother, you remember Dr. Reid," She indicated, a little surprised Elizabeth hadn't recalled. "He works with me at the BAU; you met him a few years ago."

Elizabeth looked to Reid, trying to place him in the position her daughter had just said. Within a few seconds, the lights of recognition sparked in her. "Oh, yes, Dr. Reid," She offered her hand, speaking much more pleasantly now. "I'm so sorry I didn't recognize you."

"I look a little different now." Reid explained, accepting her shake. "Your home looks lovely, Ambassador. Very festive."

"Thank you," Elizabeth replied. "I'm so pleased you could join us. I hope Emily didn't guilt you into coming to this. I'd hate to keep you from your family."

He caught sight of Emily rolling her eyes and he tried not to laugh. She complained about her mother to him so many times, it was hard not to think what was going through her head. He was sure to hear it in a few minutes when they stepped away. "Actually, I didn't have any plans tonight. Emily took pity on me and asked me to accompany her to your party."

"Well, I'm certainly glad to have you here, Emily never brings her friends." She looked Reid up and down, taking in his appearance. Obviously, she was rather displeased. He was ashamed for a moment, he should have tried harder to dress. As he glanced at Emily, however, he saw her attempting to hide a smirk, delighted at her mother's disapproval.

Reid knew he should be offended. He wondered if Emily only liked his attire because she knew it would make her mother unhappy... but some reason he didn't believe it. That wasn't the case, at least not entirely.

The ambassador ignored it for now, looking to her daughter. "Why don't you two go in and join the party. I'll be sure to see you both later, I'm anxious to hear how your work has been going since your return."

Emily was sure, and she certainly wasn't looking forward to that conversation. At least she could get away for now and possibly duck her for the rest of the night.

What happened next surprised herself as well as Reid. Her free hand seemed to act on its own accord. In an instant, it took Reid's and clung to it as she gave her mother a smile. "We'll see you later, then." And with that, led Reid from the hall.

They disappeared down another corridor, thankfully away from prying eyes. Such a simple gesture hand holding, and yet it connected them as well as that kiss under the mistletoe. Reid's heart was racing and the temperature in his body rose. He felt like some kind of blood fever was taking over him. He'd longed for this for almost six years. So many chances had passed him, watching her fall asleep beside him on the plane, her empty hand positioned so perfectly next to his... it would have been so easy to slide his fingers between hers... and he never took the opportunity. Now he was hating himself because he never had. The feel of being in Emily's clasp took his breath away.

All too soon, she released it. It felt more like she was dropping it, like she was anxious to let it go. He couldn't deny his offense this time, but ignored it. She opened a large door to reveal a walk-in closet, dozens of coats and wraps were hung in here, awaiting for their owners to return. Emily grabbed an available hanger for hers and handed another to Reid.

They didn't say a word for several moments, Emily placing both their hangers on the bar for safe keeping. Once they were secure, she stepped out and closed the door. She tried to avoid Reid's gaze as long as possible, smoothing out the wrinkles in her dress. It wasn't long, though, before there was an awkard silence between them and Emily looked up.

"That was quick and painless." She muttered with a shrug. "We may not be so lucky later."

"Come on, your mother's not that bad." Reid replied. "She reminds me of you."

If there was one persona she wanted to escape more than the privileged rich girl, it was the daughter of Elizabeth Prentiss. She loved her mother, but she was a cold, career driven and often selfish woman. Emily had no desire to be like that. Hearing that Elizabeth reminded Reid of her was heart breaking.

Emily's warm demeanor chilled instantly. She avoided Reid's eyes as she scowled a bit. He wasn't so sure why she changed all of a sudden. Perhaps the comment she was like her mother, but he meant in a small way. Elizabeth had similar features and the same bright smile. They were both confident women driven to achieve their destined cause in life... he loved that about Emily, why wouldn't he notice it in her mother?

Glancing down the corridor, she noticed another group of people on their way to the coat closet. Emily turned and said, "Let's go, we can't stay in here forever," and began to walk away, not even waiting for Reid.

* * *

**January 1st, 1:10 AM**

"Word of advice, kid." Morgan muttered, just as amused by the story as the girls, "Never tell a woman she's just like her mother."

"Hindsight," Reid muttered with a shrug. "It was the truth, though. It's not like I was saying that to hurt her."

Emily let out a dry laugh, "Yeah, that came later in the evening."

He gave her a look that was slightly exasperated. "I said I was sorry about that."

"Whoa, what happened?" Garcia questioned, captivated, desperate for the story to continue.

Emily hadn't heard her, at the moment locked in a playful glaring match with Reid. Both were trying not to be the one to break the truce and smile. It told the others whatever happened between them now was just water under the bridge... but at the time had been incredibly crucial.

After a moment, Emily finally conceded. With a grin, she turned away. "If you haven't guessed by now, I was almost entirely regretting my decision to invite Reid. We hadn't even gotten into the party and already we were leading up to a very miserable night. I just wanted to go home."

"And if we had left then, we more than likely would have gotten through the snow without much trouble." Reid added. "Even in my unequipped, unprepared little car."

"But you didn't," JJ pressed, anxious for them to continue. "So what happened next?"

Reid looked over at Hotch. He didn't even look angry or worried anymore. In fact, he was as interested as the others. It put Reid at ease and found he didn't need to clutch Emily's hand so tightly now. "You've been to that house, before. So you can understand how intimidated I was when I walked into the ballroom."

"Most definitely," Hotch nodded. "I've been to a few of those parties, including the Christmas celebration. I'd have been shocked if you weren't nervous Reid."

"And I assume being the escort of your dream gal made things so much worse." Added Rossi.

Reid continued. "To be honest... when we first walked in... it was just so astounding... I actually forgot Emily was with me for a moment..."

* * *

**December 24th**

He wondered if it had been the initial design of the architect to place the ballroom all the way on the other side of the mansion. Reid thought of making a joke that Emily must have needed bottled water and dried fruit in order to journey through her house daily when she was a child, but she still seemed rather bitter with him at the moment. He couldn't say anything, not even an apology. Honestly, he didn't know what to apologize for.

On the way, guests began to litter the halls and a few of the open rooms. Reid took quick glances in, spotting several sitting areas, a parlor, a large dining room. Everyone looked very elegant, in similar clothing as Emily. A few girls, he noticed, had gone fully formal on their outfits, wearing floor length gowns as if they were going to the Academy Awards. None of them held a candle to Emily. Her simple dress and style just accentuated her incredible beauty, allowing no glimmer and glamour to distract from it.

The doors to the ballroom stood open. Most of the guests were gathered inside. Cheerful Christmas singing was heard. Emily felt nerves fill her stomach as they walked closer, knowing what to expect in there. She dreaded thinking of who she'd encounter, a few particular people standing out in her mind. Once again, her body had a mind of its own and quickly grabbed Reid's hand again. It didn't matter what he thought of her right now, he had come along and that meant he had to be here for her.

She tried to ignore just how soft and warm the clasp of his hand was, stirring her heart just as she always thought it would. And just the fact he didn't try to pry from her grip meant at least he didn't mind her touch.

As they stepped into the ballroom, he clutched her hand just as tightly and felt the bottom drop out of his stomach. He'd been in a lot of different places in his adult life, some were horrifying and dark, others were warm and homey and beautiful... but nothing compared to this. And he couldn't decide which of the two categories this one belonged in.

The Prentiss Ballroom was the largest room he'd ever been in outside of a government establishment. He could have fit his entire apartment building in here if it lay horizontal. Besides the size, the design of the place was like something in a palace. It was gold and beige and the decor was taken from the Baroque style.

The gold was such a nice background to the holiday wonderment. It gave the impression of a Victorian Christmas, so elegant with its green garlands and red bows. There were hanging crimson tapestries sloping on the dome ceiling that sparkled as the light danced off it. In the center of one wall, which was lined with windows, stood a Christmas tree at least twenty-five feet high. The branches were mostly occupied by little white lights and silver tinsel that shimmered like fresh snow in the moonlight. Several different ornaments of red and gold and silver hung on the limbs like it was the natural fruit of the tree. And at the very top was a huge, slender silver star. It shined in the light of the room, illuminated as if it were lit up itself.

For a moment, he didn't even realize there were at least fifty other people in the room, some of which were responsible for the music. Four people were playing string instruments while five others were joined in a small chorus. Reid had to say, this was a first. He'd never been to a party with live music.

Emily had been watching him with awe. Reid was always so in control of his amazement, usually due to the fact that he knew so much. She'd never seen him so caught off guard like this. She knew it was mostly because he'd never been in a place like this before, but she suspected it was also due to the fact Reid had never celebrated Christmas prior to tonight. He was absolutely breathtaking.

"Are you okay?" She finally asked, brushing his shoulder.

Letting out a breath, Reid looked down and met her eyes. It was like a clean slate, and this was the real start to their night together. He gave a smile, "Uh, yeah... I'm sorry, I just..."

"I know," She nodded. Emily had heard it all. "You've never been in a place like this before."

He suddenly lost his confidence and couldn't look in her eyes. "No, I was just thinking... this place is pretty and merry and I get to share it with such a divine woman... I just... I don't want to wake up yet."

Her stomach suddenly felt fluttery and her cheeks were turning warm. She couldn’t have stopped her hand from reaching up to brush his cheek. An act she meant only in friendship, but an electricity passed between them she refused to acknowledge. "Let's get a drink. How about some eggnog?"

He nodded, allowing Emily to lead him across the floor. "Did you know the 'nog' in the word comes from the term 'noggin' which was the cup traditionally used to serve this drink when it was first invented."

"No," Emily said, giving him a smile. "I didn't."

People could always be so stuffy and fake at these things, it was nice to know Reid never changed. And he never would change. But then... Emily didn't want him to.

* * *

After about a half an hour passed and the two started to relax. Emily served them both a glass of eggnog. It was much better homemade and with real rum unlike the stuff served at the BAU party. Reid was careful to drink slowly. It was going to be a few hours before he drove home, but wanted to keep his wits about him. The last thing he needed was his composure to waver and let just the tiniest thing slip. It could mean his downfall.

They stood close to the refreshment table. Emily watched as Reid had a few of the delectable sugar cookies, expertly decorated with so much detail. They were almost too pretty to eat... but he didn't seem to be having any trouble. He was so cute, Emily couldn't take her eyes off him.

The choir continued singing as Reid and Emily chatted pleasantly. It was starting to feel like things were shifting back to normal between them. They avoided any tricky topics. Neither could be certain, but it was like they were trying to avoid talking about themselves as much as possible. Like a more personal discussion could open a door that was better left deadlocked.

"It was one of the most amazing variations of Dante I’ve ever read." Reid announced, always so excited when he talked about books. "I went through the entire series in a half an hour, I was completely spellbound."

"I always liked Dante.” Emily replied, smiling. "I'll have to check it out, it sounds interesting."

"You can borrow my copy if you like." He offered, and Emily felt a surge of happiness. She and Reid often exchanged books, but they hadn't since she'd come back.

"Thanks, I'll pick it up tomorrow." She agreed. "How come you didn't tell me about it before?"

"Oh..." His grin faded away and he turned his attention to his almost empty glass. "I, uh... I read it... last April.”

Emily's breath caught in her chest. She had still been dead then. "Oh," was all she could mutter.

"But I thought about you, after I read it." He mumbled softly.

She was opening up to him. It was such a surprise, Emily forget to speak for a moment. "You did?"

"Yeah..." He nodded. He finally looked up, hoping she'd understand. "You know when you read a really great book and all you want to do is talk about it with someone? But all your friends are just annoyed because... they're not interested?"

She smiled. "Yeah."

"I just kept thinking... 'I wish Emily was alive... because she would like the book. And if she didn't, we could debate it and discuss it'..."

He left out how afterward, he was so tormented, thinking about how much missed her. That he considered very seriously about taking Dilaudid, just to make the pain stop, and wound up hurrying to JJ's.

"We're discussing it now, Reid." Emily pointed out, once again brushing his arm.

Reid met her eyes again. Those beautiful brown eyes that sneaked into his thoughts and distracted him with the bat of an eyelash, that he longed to drown himself in and never come up for air. He began to realize he was being immature. He may be in love with her with no chance of ever having her, but he was torturing himself trying to keep her at arm’s length. Maybe it was time to let go of this misery and start letting her in again.

As he opened his mouth to say something, her pleasant, interested expression changed. She suddenly felt exposed, like a rabbit trying to navigate through an open meadow. Casually, Reid looked to the side off into the ballroom, almost instantly spotting the cause of her discomfort. A young girl about his age with red hair and a sparkling green gown was headed in their direction.

"Do you know her?" Reid whispered as Emily turned to face the refreshment table.

"Her name's Monica." She mumbled, moving closer to him to keep their conversation secret. "Our mothers have worked together on and off since we were children; she's a lobbyist and the biggest gossip in Washington."

"So... I'm guessing not a friend of yours?" Reid teased.

Normally, Emily would be annoyed her friend was making a joke about this, but he was just doing it to lighten the mood. Instead, she smiled. "Not in a traditional sense. Anything I say to her tonight, she'll twist into some juicy rumor she can tell the legislators while on the job. The flighty daughter of Ambassador Prentiss."

Reid doubted such topics were covered under the first amendment, but right now it didn't matter. He had an idea. "Well, then let's give her something to talk about."

Alarmed, Emily looked to find a suspicious smile on her friend's face. That statement could be taken a number of ways and to say Emily's thoughts were pure at the moment was a lie.

Always the gentleman, Reid held out his hand to take hers. She had no idea what he had in mind, but she trusted him with all her heart. And with that thought, she smirked and gently took his offered hand.


	4. Confrontation

**December 24th**

Her first fear was that he was going to confront the girl immediately, but in which case hoped he would give Emily another warm, mouthwatering kiss. Instead, Reid led her in a different direction and soon she realized they were stepping onto the dance floor.

"I thought you said you weren't much of a dancer." Emily smirked, her whole body tingling as Reid put his hand in the small of her back.

His other adjusted easily against her palm and brought her body so close, they were just inches from touching each other. He gave her a small smile. "I think I can fake it through a few songs if it's with you."

Seeing her smile so brightly made Reid feel like he was floating. The string quartet emitted a few opening bars to the next song, the choir chiming in with the most pleasing of notes. They each immediately recognized the song, as they had heard it a few days ago. It had a pleasing beat, not too slow, but enough where they could remain in such a close embrace.

_Oh the weather outside is frightful  
_ _But the fire is so delightful  
_ _And since we've no place to go  
_ _Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow_

Dancing wasn't too hard, but on the rare occasion he got the chance to experience it, Reid's feet suddenly became three sizes bigger. He'd trip over his own legs and step all over her toes. Often, he would look envious on Morgan or Rossi or any other man that was suave and graceful with a lady on the dance floor, and he always longed to try it with Emily. Now he was here and he was more than just managing it. With her in his arms, he suddenly grasped the rhythm and movement... he easily guided her with just the push and pull of his hand. Under his left palm, he felt the smooth, silky feel of the velvet that made her dress. He wanted to bunch it in a fist and bring her as close to him as possible. Her delicate fingers gently wiggled on his shoulder; the slight massage was intoxicating.

_It doesn't show signs of stopping  
_ _and I've brought some corn for popping  
_ _The lights are turned way down low  
_ _Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow_

"Kind of an appropriate song for tonight." Emily mentioned, she glanced out of the corner of her eye. Reid's plan was working like a charm. Several people on the sidelines were interested in this new couple on the floor. Sure, Emily didn't often bring people to these functions, but it wasn't unheard of. Not to mention, she always danced with a few of the guests, mostly just to avoid her mother. She couldn't see what the others found so interesting.

"What do you mean?" Reid wondered. He was trying not to look at her lips. Her perfect, carmine lips, the exact same color as the poinsettias he'd been admiring on her stoop. And they, too, had their own deadly poison. It leached into Reid's blood so badly, he couldn't help but be addicted to her kiss.

"Just... the snow outside. It's terrible weather, but... it can go on all it wants as long as I'm in here." Emily said, wondering if he'd get the hint.

Reid struggled to force the thought that suddenly blossomed in his head. He imagined the icy shavings falling outside the window of a dark bedroom, illuminated only by the light of some warm fire. Not far from it, a comfortable bed where he and Emily could completely lose themselves in each other the whole night. Who cared about the snow when they had the warmth and passion of each other?

"It's about two lovers who want to remain with each other, even though they have to part." Reid said, avoiding her eyes. "Not about someone enduring a long party."

Her heart sank again, her smile faded. Either he was completely oblivious to her feelings or he wouldn't dream of settling for someone like her. Either way, she lost. "Yeah, you're right. It's not the same at all."

_When we finally kiss goodnight  
_ _How I'll hate going out in the storm  
_ _But if you really hold me tight  
_ _All the way home I'll be warm_

Every time Emily breathed, she inhaled his subtle aftershave and coffee smell. She ached to bury her nose in his shirt and take it in. The more she breathed, the dizzier it made her. "You're better at this than you think, Spencer."

Reid was shocked. Did she just call him Spencer? She never used his name... he liked how it sounded... rolling off the impeccable tongue that hypnotized him every time she moistened her lips. "Thank you... I'm not stepping on your toes, am I?"

"No," She giggled, shaking her head. Her arm went around his shoulder, pulling herself just a little bit closer. "You're a beautiful dancer."

_The fire is slowly dying  
_ _And my dear, we're still goodbying  
_ _But as long as you love me so  
_ _Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow_

The space between them was shrinking away. Every few movements, he felt the brush of her body against his. His hand on her back gently stroked the fabric, moving ever so slightly to rest on the top of her backside. Was it his imagination... or did he just feel her shudder.

Emily was breathing so hard, it felt like she was running a marathon. She needed to keep her frame of mind... but she wanted do desperately to just let go and fall into his embrace... his strong arms that made her feel so safe. She had hugged him when she first returned home, but it didn't feel the same. Maybe because he was angry, maybe because she was so twisted over her feelings... but whatever it was, she wanted it back.

They were slowly losing themselves to the moment. The song ended and another began to take its place. Before long, they couldn't last anymore. Keeping composure was just too exhausting. Closing any remaining distance, they became wrapped in each other’s arms, so close and their bodies so in tune; their hearts even seemed to beat at the exact same time.

* * *

**January 1st, 1:17 AM**

Morgan shook his head. "And even then you two couldn't tell how you felt about each other?"

"Some of us aren't as arrogant as you Morgan. I don't automatically believe every woman wants me." Reid grumbled.

"It's just, you know... when you’re falling for someone... you want to believe every little glance and touch means something more. But we're adults, we know better. We all have to be automatically certain something's a sure thing before we jump in." Said Emily. She stole another glance at him and smiled. "Sometimes life's about taking chances."

"Like risking your careers to fraternize with other agents." Hotch added, unable to deny the predicament his two friends had put him in as well as the whole team.

The couple turned to look at him. "This is exactly why we didn't want to tell anyone. We know it's going to cause problems, but we wanted to put that off for a while."

"Maybe we shouldn't tell this story." Emily admitted. "The less everyone knows the better, the whole team can pretend they don't know anything. Problem solved."

"No!" JJ and Morgan cried.

"You are not ending the story there!" Garcia exclaimed. "I sense there are a lot more juicy details to tell."

Tentatively, they both looked to Hotch. He gave them a subtle nod, allowing them to continue. They wouldn't ask, but Reid and Emily sensed he was just as interested as the rest.

Reid cleared his throat to continue. "The nine minutes and twelve seconds we remained on that dance floor were - and I am not exaggerating here - the greatest minutes in the history of my life."

Emily was suddenly offended. " _Those_ were the greatest minutes in your life?"

He blushed and grinned. "Up until that point." He clarified.

She gave another lighthearted scowl, giving his arm a shove. Reid chuckled again, his cheeks even brighter and continued, returning his attention to his eager listeners.

* * *

**December 24th**

Another song began, this one much, much slower. Emily and Reid soon caught the rhythm and glided together on the floor. This entire thing was to be a spectacle for the nosy, gossiping guests, but they had forgotten that. The music swirled around them as they danced, and suddenly, they were the only two people in the entire room.

_I really can't stay  
_ _(Baby, it's cold outside)  
_ _I've got to go away  
_ _(But, baby, it's cold outside)  
_ _This evening has been so very nice  
_ _(I'll hold your hands, they're just like ice)_

Emily rested her head on his shoulder, letting out a contented sigh. Her breath warmed the flesh of Reid's neck and he felt goosebumps all over his skin. Not a molecule of space was between their bodies now, clinging to each other like they were captors of static electricity. Another kind of charge was coursing through both of them, that was for sure.

_My mother will start to worry  
_ _(Beautiful, what's your hurry)  
_ _My father will be there at the door  
_ _(Listen to the fire place roar)  
_ _So really, I'd better scurry  
_ _(Beautiful, please don't hurry)  
_ _We'll maybe just half a drink more  
_ _(Put some records on while I pour)_

His nose was filled with the scent of vanilla. It seemed to grow stronger as the heat between them rose, like the scented wax of a lit candle. The fire they felt inside themselves burned just as hot. Emily couldn't stop the tremble that overtook her as she felt Reid's hand move from her back, sliding on the velvet to rest on her hip. She let out a quiet gasp as his fingers stroked along her thigh, her whole body quivered at the touch.

They were so completely lost in each other, it became a world of swirling notes and warmth and growing desire. Reid was losing more and more of his mind as each heavy breath caused Emily's breasts to press repeatedly against his chest, the graceful swivel of her hips against his thighs drove him wild. Emily bit her lip as she felt his excitement against her thigh, her one hand clutching his sweater under her finger nails which just started to grow back out again... just the thought of running those brand new nails down the sweaty flesh of his back took her breath away.

_My sister will be suspicious  
_ _(Man, your lips look delicious)  
_ _My brother will be pacing the floor  
_ _(Waves upon a tropical shore)  
_ _My maiden aunt's mind is vicious  
_ _(Gosh, your lips look delicious)  
_ _Well, maybe just a cigarette more  
_ _(Never such a blizzard before)_

Reid couldn't take this anymore. There was a fever in his blood that could not be cured if he stayed here any longer. He began to pull away from her. Half out of his mind with lust and desire, his body acted on its own and quickly met her in a mind-blowing kiss.

Emily sighed as she stood straight, completely taken off guard. Instantly, without having to think, she kissed him back, her one hand landing on the back of his head. She moaned softly as his tongue conquered her mouth, not even waiting for permission to enter. He was suddenly possessive and dominant; a side she never believed existed inside this sweet, sensitive man.

All too soon, Reid pulled away. Emily reached to find his lips again, but he was gone. Opening her eyes, she saw him standing there; so sad and disappointed, as if he'd just found coal in his stocking.

"There... that should do it, don't you think?" He said with a forced smile. Without another word, Reid turned and walked casually out of the ballroom. Many of the guests had been watching the two, and parted away as he approached, giving him a clear path. Emily stood alone on the floor, hurt and confused, having no idea what just happened.

_There's bound be the talk tomorrow  
_ _(Think of my life long sorrow)  
_ _At least there will be plenty implied  
_ _(What's the sense in hurting my pride)  
_ _I really can't stay  
_ _(Get over that hold out)  
_ _Oh, but it's cold outside._

* * *

He just needed some time away from her. Reid needed a little space to collect his thoughts and get himself in order. That had been a huge mistake. He’d only wanted to dance with her, and assumed if he asked her, she’d accept out of obligation, but he’d need to keep himself in check. Creating a little innocent gossip seemed like the perfect excuse to get close to her. And then he had to kiss her and she was just as caught up in the excitement as he was, and kissed him back. He couldn’t bear to stand there and wait for her to realize what they’d done. He just needed to get his feelings under control before facing her again, and hearing the gentle rejection that they’d gone too far.

This whole thing was agony. If she had never left, if she had never been so badly hurt, it wouldn't be so bad. Sitting in that waiting room, sick with worry, he'd had an epiphany... and once it had crossed his mind, there was no going back.

When he had left the ballroom, he exited through a different door and found himself in a strange corridor. Traveling through the halls, he found a small parlor devoid of any guests. A crackling fire was burning cheerily, with sparkling tinsel and garland along the mantle, several different candles that smelled like cinnamon were lit. The heat wafted the scent around the room... it seemed the perfect place to clear his head.

He stood before the fireplace, staring down into the flames. Each one swirled over the smoldering wood like dancers, but it wasn't enough to distract Reid from his thoughts. Coming here was a bad idea. He had wanted to spend time with her, to rebuild their friendship and get back to the way things used to be... but it was true to saying. You can't go home again.

"I see little Emily is still up to her old tricks, even after a stay in Paris." A gentleman said as he walked in. Reid knew he should turn and excuse himself, but at the sound her name, he couldn't bring himself to leave.

"It wasn't exactly a vacation." The distinct voice of Ambassador Prentiss replied, coming in with him. "Just an escape due to some of the many foolish mistakes she made in her life. But you're right, it seems she hasn't changed in the least."

He didn't turn around right away. He’d been told Emily was going to be ridiculed tonight, but to actually hear it was a shock. He never liked to speak ill of other people. Childish, perhaps, but he expected the same from the rest of the world. Needless to say, this appalled him... especially when one of the people was her own mother.

"Who is this next notch in her bedpost, may I ask?" The man asked, curious. "Or do you even know?"

"For once, I do." She replied. "It's a young man she works with. It's a shame really, the first man I can actually approve of and he's just a friend."

"They looked a lot more than friends on that dance floor." He indicated.

There was a pause and if Reid had to guess, he'd say Elizabeth was rolling her eyes. "Well, that's Emily. She'd better be careful, the last thing she needs is to start dipping her pen in the company ink. I don't need any more rumors about how my daughter is so open for business around the capital."

Reid felt an anger boiling in his veins. How dare they speak about her like this? They didn't know Emily like he did. They didn't see the pain she felt for each victim that made its way to the BAU, how her eyelids would droop close when enjoying a delectable piece of chocolate, and they certainly didn't see the way she loved her friends. She would do anything for the people she loved... including giving her life.

At last, Reid turned to look at the newcomers in the room, catching the ambassador's eye. "Oh, Dr. Reid," She said suddenly, not the least bit disturbed he overheard them. "I didn't know you were in here."

Before he could leave, she led the older man over. "Dr. Reid, this is Senator Lawrence Iddlemen, Lawrence, this is Dr. Spencer Reid with the FBI and Emily's escort for the evening."

Reid gave the gentleman a rather cold expression, refusing his offered handshake. "Dr. Reid, it's good to meet you. How long have you know little Emily?"

"About six years," He answered, taking a step back from the man. "And she's not so little anymore."

"A grown girl, yes, as I'm sure you know." He noted with a grin. "So you work directly with Elizabeth's daughter, I can't imagine what kind of mess you had to clean up when she ran away to Paris."

Emily had been searching everywhere for Reid. She had given him a five minute head start to allow him to clear his head, but now she needed to track him down. She had to know what had bothered him so much. Maybe she could get him to open up, she could show him that she was and always had been his friend.

As she turned another corner, she heard the voice of Lawrence Iddlemen, an old friend of her mother's. He'd known her since she was a toddler and always had a left-handed comment to give her. He was the last person she wanted to speak with right now.

She was just about to walk past the door of the parlor when she stopped, another much more familiar voice meeting her ears. "Emily didn't run away, she was forced to hide in Paris." Reid corrected. "She couldn't risk coming home, there was too much danger."

A superior politician did not like to be spoken to like this, let alone been told wrong. "And as usual, everyone else had to clean up her mess. I've known Emily a lot longer than you, young man, and I've seen the horrible things she's done to people around her, and then cowardly running off so she doesn't have to fix them."

Reid wanted to hit him. "You obviously don't know her very well, because what Emily did was unspeakably brave. She didn't run away to save herself, she left because she had to protect her friends, who have been the only family she's ever known. She may not be perfect, but who among us is?"

Emily was stunned as she heard this. This whole time, she assumed Reid thought the worst of her, when in truth he supported her fully.

If that wasn't enough, he went on. "You have no right to stand there and insult her like she's some cruel, selfish person. Emily Prentiss is a kind, loving, unfailingly generous woman and the best person I know. She never thinks about herself which is the reason she got into so much trouble nine months ago."

And that, he looked to Elizabeth, who stared at him in astonishment. "And you should be ashamed of yourself. How dare you not only stand there and let people insult your daughter, but to go along with it."

The senator gave Reid a glare, opening his mouth to retaliate. Reid didn't flinch, ready to take any comment this man had to throw at him. When he showed no fear, the senator knew his words would have no effect. He gave a glare and turned to take himself and his bruised ego out the door.

Hearing footsteps, Emily hurried away before she could be caught there. She'd meet up with Reid in the ballroom later, disappearing around the corner just before the senator emerged.

* * *

**January 1st, 1:32 AM**

The others were so amazed, Reid coming to Emily's rescue like that. He looked at each of their surprised, impressed faces. "Well, I couldn't just stand there and let them insult her. I would have stood up for any of you."

"Yeah, the fact that you were secretly in love with her had nothing to do with it." Rossi mentioned.

"I'm not going to pretend that didn't fuel my outburst." He assured.

"Okay, so what happened next?" JJ questioned, trying to get back on subject.

"I hurried away when I heard the senator coming, and I went to one place I knew I could collect my thoughts. Reid tracked me down about fifteen minutes later." Emily continued.

"Uh..." He stammered, "Well... there's a little more to that part... that you don't know about."

Silent a moment, Emily looked to him, apprehensive. "You kept talking to my mother?"

"Kind of..." He said with a shrug.

* * *

**December 24th**

This party was certainly a bust. He wondered if was too early to leave, but then he could use the snow as an excuse, wanting to get home before it got too bad. Reid went to leave, but stopped as the ambassador spoke. "Dr. Reid, that is a very prominent man you just chewed out. He could make your life a living hell."

It didn't even occur to him that she was smiling. His life already was hell. Really how much worse could it get?

"You're absolutely right, though," She said, much more softly. "I wasn't being fair to Emily. She got involved with this because of her job. And I was lucky, I got to know my daughter was alive... it must have been agony for you."

Clearing his throat, "It was devastating."

At that, he turned to leave. "Dr. Reid," She called just before he reached the door. Reid turned back to her, his irritation creeping up on him. "I just have one more question for you."

"Yes?" He asked, impatient.

Elizabeth struggled to suppress her smile. "How long have you been in love with my daughter?"

After a beat, he answered with sincerity, "Since the day I met her."

Without another word, he left the room. It was time he found Emily and got the hell out of here.

* * *

**January 1st, 1:33 AM**

"Why didn't you tell me that?" She cooed. It all made so much more sense now.

He gave another shrug, the red appearing in his cheeks again. His gaze darted away, embarrassed. "I don't know... it wasn't that big a deal."

Her eyes were glowing at him, placing her hand on his opposite cheek and bringing him close to kiss the other one.

"So I assume Reid tracked you down after that and apologized for walking out?" Morgan pressed.

"Oh, yes," Garcia wondered, "Is that what he was sorry for? Walking out on you?"

"No," Emily shook her head. She nestled closer to her new boyfriend, like she needed to be protected from the scariest part of the story. "That wasn't even close to what happened next. It's true to form that when things are bad..." She clutched Reid's hand securely, "they can always get worse."


	5. House Guests

**December 24th**

When Reid finally returned, Emily wasn't in the ballroom. It was close to eleven now and the guests were starting to thin out. He hoped the weather had improved since they arrived; at the very least, the roads treated to make traveling safer. He just wanted to get out of here, take Emily to the safety of her home, and then retreat to his own domicile where he could wallow in his misery. Just like always.

* * *

Emily couldn't be around those people anymore. All those eyes staring at her. They already had so many rumors and questions about her, and now her date had abandoned her at a party, it was just too much to take. She would just hide out here for a little bit until Reid was certain to be looking for her and then she'd go back.

She had to talk to him. Those beautiful things he said about her... it was another reminder how mutilated their friendship had become. He used to trust her beyond the limits of their other friends. But then again, Emily wasn't much better. She'd been carrying this secret for over three years now and still couldn't find the strength to confess.

"It’s too late now," She mumbled to herself. "After everything I've done, he'd never believe me, he’d never give me a chance."

"Emily?"

Gasping, she turned to find Reid standing in the doorway from inside. The door was ajar and he must have heard her. Even if she were trying to keep her voice low, sound carried in the wind.

"What are you doing out here?" Reid asked. Emily stood shivering on a covered balcony. The snow fell relentless, giving the impression she was under a winter waterfall. It was completely bare of any chairs or seats, giving the idea no one had been out here in months. Perhaps even years.

"I..." She shook her head, her arms folded over her chest to guard her from the cold. "I just needed some time away from... that."

"You're going to freeze." Reid said, but despite his warning, he stepped out the door, disturbing the thin layer of fresh powder. "What is this place?"

"Oh, this is... my place." She informed, looking around. "No one ever comes out here so... when I need to get away from my mother, I disappear for a little bit. I've been using it since I was a kid."

"Really?" Reid wondered.

"Oh, yeah." She nodded with a smile. "If the lamp in my father's study was on, it would bathe the balcony in light from the window on the left. I would bring books out here when I was little... and then boys when I was older."

He shifted uncomfortably at that, the jealousy creeping in his veins. How could any man have this gorgeous creature in his arms and not be completely under her spell was beyond his realm of understanding. And that was saying something.

"Are you okay?" Emily asked, stepping forward. "You ran out of the ballroom so fast and... I... I..."

"I'm fine," He assured putting on a brave face. "It's cold, let's go in and get warm."

"Spencer," She cried, her hand landing on his arm to stop him. "Thank you."

There was his name again. He never wanted her to call him anything else now that he knew how sweet she made that sound. "For what?"

"I heard what you said to the senator." Emily exclaimed.

He thought for a moment. A man like that wouldn't broadcast that he got told off by some geeky kid. "You were eavesdropping?"

"I didn't mean to, it just sort of happened." She said, never expecting he'd be upset by that.

In truth, he wasn't. But his nerves were frayed; he was agitated and dying inside being so close to her for so long. "I've got to say, you really had me fooled. I knew you for so long, I thought I knew who you really were, but I guess I didn't. I kind of owe it to Ian Doyle, he really showed me what a lying, manipulative bitch you are."

Emily gaped at him. She could count on one hand the number of times he lost his temper, and never had she heard him swear. "That was uncalled for. Why are still angry about all this? You know, I can only say I'm sorry so many times and still mean it!"

"I'm surprised you meant it in the first place!" He screamed. "You have no idea what you put me through, Emily! Do have any idea the agony I was in over losing you? Did you even think to ask?"

"I know it was hard on you!" She cried, her teeth beginning to chatter. "But don't you understand, it was hard on me, too. You lost me? That was nothing compared to losing you!"

"Yeah, yeah, you lost six friends. You got an ulcer-"

"-That's not what I mean!" She interrupted.

Agitated, "Then what do you mean?"

She could have told him everything. How much she loved him, the minute she fell in love with him, the thoughts that ran through her head as she was about to lose her life in that warehouse... but she just couldn't do it. He'd never understand. He'd never feel for her that way.

"Just... forget it." She shook her head, heading to the door.

"As usual, running away," He snarled. Reid went to lean on the stone railing, looking down over the back patio which was swirling with fallen snow.

Emily grabbed the handle, but it wouldn't budge. She tugged and pulled on it, but it was completely immobile. She turned back to glare at him. "Great job, 187, you locked us out!"

"No, I didn't!" He cried, turning around.

"Why would I lie about that?" She exclaimed, stepping away so he could try for himself. The cold was getting unbearable. "You know, if you hate me so much, why did you even agree to come with me tonight?"

He had been messing with the handle, seeing for himself they were indeed trapped on the balcony. "You think I hate you!?" He exclaimed, turning to look at her. He was more hurt than she'd ever seen. His voice lowered to a sudden composed tone, tears beginning to burn in his eyes. "If that's really what you think... you don't… you don’t know me at all… I wished you’d never come back, Emily. My life was so much easier when you were dead."

That stuck in her like a knife right through her chest. Her lip trembled, but she focused such livid eyes on him, so mad she could spit. Reid stared at her and loathed himself more than ever. How could he say such an obvious lie to her? Life had been anything but easy those seven months. He’d wanted to take her in his arms and beg forgiveness. Tell her of the joy and relief he felt when he saw her standing in the doorway to the conference room. Before Declan was saved, before the storm broke the calm, allowing the bitterness and sense of betrayal to seep in.... but he was stubborn. They were both stubborn and so stood their ground.

A minute later, they saw someone pass by the doors. They couldn't be seen through the curtains, but Reid knocked as hard as possible on the glass. The door opened again, revealing Senator Iddlemen.

"Thank you, sir," Reid said with a fake smile. "Just got locked out."

Before the man could say anything, he clutched Emily's hand and hurried her down the corridor. An outsider might think they were a silly couple trying to sneak off and be alone... their heartache was completely concealed.

* * *

**January 1st, 1:47 AM**

In his shame, Reid was trying not to look at anybody. They may be together, they may have moved on, but it didn't change what he said. He hated himself for allowing his anger to take control, lashing at the person he cared for more than anyone.

"You guys know how Reid can lose his temper when he's upset." Emily explained, sticking up for him.

"Really, who among us isn't guilty of that?" Rossi agreed. "And I'm sure he felt terrible once you two made up."

"I still feel terrible." He shook his head.

"Sweetie, we were all upset about Emily," Garcia assured. "We all felt used and manipulated and angry we had to go through all that pain. Sometimes, it's just easier to let that go."

"Easy for you to say, you're not in love with her." Reid noted with tears in his eyes.

Emily brushed his cheek again, which brought a twitch of a smile to his face. She continued. "Well... it was the end of the night and..." She let out a sigh. "We had been through the ringer. We walked hand in hand for a while... mainly because we felt we needed to keep up the pretense, but I remember I kept thinking... this is the last time he'll ever hold my hand... I have to savor it."

Every single person in the room looked to Reid's lap where he sandwiched Emily's hand between his. Even if the story was tormenting, at least they knew it had a happy ending.

"We made it back to the coat closet and Reid opened the door..."

* * *

**December 24th**

The house had become a ghost town. Even the music and singing had quit for the night. The party didn't usually end this early, but everyone probably wanted to stay ahead of the weather. Back in the corridor leading to the foyer, Emily stood in the doorway as Reid stepped in to grab their coats. None too soon, he found his and Emily's, removing hers first. Always the gentleman, he brought the coat over and held it out so she could slip it on.

"You can't even look at me." She mentioned, his focus was indeed on the wall.

"Emily," He exhaled as he pulled the clothing over her shoulder. It sounded like he was about to vomit, trying to keep his anger from spilling out of his mouth again. "Don't... don't talk to me. We're not friends anymore. You came back and... it just can never be the way it was. I can work with you, the others never need to know, we can compartmentalize. But, if it's not for professional reasons, after I drop you off tonight... I don't want you near me."

She wasn't going to cry here. Emily wanted to burst into tears, but she swallowed her emotions and gave herself a very sour stomach... or maybe that was the eggnog. She nodded. "Very well."

At that, Reid pulled on his coat and gloves, leaving the door open for the owners of the half a dozen coats that remained. He wouldn't grab her hand this time. Emily clutched her handbag like it was helping her keep her balance and followed him to the foyer.

Just one more minute. All she had to do was say goodbye and Merry Christmas to her mother. She wasn't coming to dinner tomorrow, no matter how much she tried to sway and guilt her. Once they were out the door, they would get into the car and soon she'd be in the safety of her home... where her world could completely fall apart.

"Thank you so much for coming," Elizabeth said to the three guests stepping out before Reid and Emily, "Merry Christmas... we'll see you for New Year's. Drive safely."

It was upon them. Emily braced herself to face this woman but was startled. She didn't turn to them... instead, she closed the door and stood almost as if she were blocking it.

"Mother?" Emily questioned. "What are you doing?"

"The two of you are not leaving." She stated plainly.

Confused, both Reid and Emily looked to each other. She was upset, yes, but Reid knew she wouldn't stoop so low as to employ her mother in this.

"It's late, Mother, we want to go home." Emily explained.

"I know it's late, and that's exactly why I can't let you go." She said matter-of-factly. "This storm is awful, no point in traveling in it if you don't have to. It will take you hours to get home and that's if you don't get into an accident first."

Reid had to admit, he was weary of making the journey through all this snow. But he couldn't stay here. "If you want Emily to stay, I understand." He said, going to the door, "Have a Merry Christ-"

"-Oh no, Dr. Reid, you're staying, too." Elizabeth informed, moving to block his path to the door.

Stunned. "I can't stay."

"And why not?" She questioned.

"Because... I don't have a change of clothes, I don't have a place to sleep-"

"Do you really think in a house this size, we don't have a room for you?" She asked. "And we have extra clothes for guests, trust me, we have everything you need. Now, I've managed to talk the senator out of prying into your personal life to repay you for the lovely things you said to him, don't make me go back on that. You both are staying here, end of discussion."

They didn't have a choice. Elizabeth was not going to let them leave... they were a little blindsided, but if they did have the option, there was no point in risking the drive. The two looked at each other. They were stuck together for the time being.

"Emily, you know where your room is." She said, indicating the stairs. "Take Dr. Reid to the guest room across from yours; that should suffice."

And with that, Elizabeth took off around the corner and out of sight. The two were alone, trying to figure out what to say.

"I'm tired," Reid grumbled, avoiding her eyes. "Can you show me to my room, please?"

"Sure," She said, her voice barely above a whisper. Slowly, Emily made her way to the stairs and slowly began the journey upward.

The second floor was even more confusing than the first. The halls intersected and turned like the hedge maze in The Shining. He had to keep close to Emily so as not to get lost. During the walk, he examined the different decor that accentuated the house. It seemed the second floor had no idea it was Christmas. In fact, most of the artifacts and paintings appeared as if nothing had been disturbed here in years, dusted once or twice a week for upkeep. He noticed there were no photographs on the walls. Nothing of Emily growing up, no happy family portrait... there was no indication a family lived within these walls. No wonder Emily kept to herself so much... judging by this, she must have been very lonely most of her life. He could relate to that.

"This is your room." Emily announced, indicating a large oak door. She was already moving to the one directly across from it. "I'll be here if you need me."

"I won't," was all he said as he opened the door. It slammed lightly as it closed, shutting him away from her. Disheartened, Emily grabbed the familiar knob of her own bedroom door and went inside.

* * *

She tossed and turned in her sleep, thrashing around under her warms blankets. Her body was covered in a cold sweat as she moaned softly. "No... no, please... leave him alone..."

It went on for agonizing minutes until finally, her body jolted awake. It was a nightmare... just a horrible nightmare. Ever since she'd gone to Paris, she had the same recurring one. She was in the warehouse, fighting off Doyle with everything in her... only this time, someone came to her rescue. Reid, coming in like some shining white knight, but instead of getting her out in time... he took the stake in his stomach. They were alone, no backup, no coms. All she could do was kneel beside him and watch him die.

Her heart was pounding so hard in her chest she thought it would burst. She wiped the sweat from her brow and concentrated on catching her breath. She had to do something about this and normally she would confront the person whom the dreams were focused on... but he hated her now. She couldn't talk to Reid about this, he would just tell her she deserved it. Maybe she did.

She didn't want to think that she lost her best friend. Emily considered talking to him in the morning, hoping perhaps he'd have cooled off by then... but he'd been carrying this grudge for months now. For him to forget about this after one night's sleep would be a Christmas Miracle.

Suddenly, there was a light knock on her door. Looking across the table, the alarm clock told her it was almost 2. She couldn't think of a person who’d come to her room after midnight. Emily climbed out of her double bed and headed across her familiar bedroom to the door. Opening it, she gasped. In the soft hall light stood Reid.

"Hey," She said. "What's wrong?"

Reid didn't want to tell her about the nightmare he'd had. It wasn't really a nightmare, per say, as it had actually happened. He relived the day of her funeral. Dressed in that horrible suit - the last time he had worn a suit - carrying her coffin across the cemetery to rest in her grave. It made him sick to his stomach every time he thought about it; he just wanted to block it out. He’d spent the next hour and 23 minutes pacing in his room trying to process his jumbled thoughts, until finally he’d had an epiphany.

"What did you mean?" He asked.

She was still disorientated from her dream and therefore was confused. "You said... me losing you was nothing compared to you losing me. Which... when you think about it, doesn't sound that strange, but earlier you told me I would be in the most danger."

"I told you already, your memory-"

"Don't lie to me anymore." Reid whispered, his tone dangerous. He stepped in and closed the door, not wanting to disturb the ambassador, who was just a few doors away. "Something doesn't make sense and I'm tired of being treated like a child. I always thought you saw me differently than that."

"I do!" She squeaked, tears were crawling up her throat. Any minute, they would spill out her eyes.

"Then why are you lying to me!" He growled. Emily began to back away, but he grabbed her arms to keep her still. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Spencer, I'm begging you, leave it alone." She stammered, her eyes welling up now. She made an attempt to break free.

Reid struggled against her and grabbed her wrists, clinging to them to keep her still. "No! Tell me the truth, Emily!"

"I can't!" She shook her head as the tears fell down her face.

"Did Doyle threaten me? Did he say he was going to go after me? I need to know, Emily, I need to understand. Why am I so much more special than the others?"

"Because..." He wouldn't let her go until she said it. Her throat felt so tight, she thought she was going to choke to death on her own tears.

"Tell me!" He demanded.

Emily had no choice. Her tear-filled, desperate brown eyes looked up to meet his furious hazel glare. "Because I'm in love with you."


	6. Phenomenon

**January 1st 2:00 AM**

"Oh my God!" Garcia cried for the second time that night, a bright smile on her face.

Emily shook her head. "It seems silly to be afraid now, but... in those seconds before he responded... watching his face turn to pure shock... I swear, the world just stopped spinning."

"I remember reading this work by a psychiatrist in Belgium about Verbal Phenomena." Reid explained. "It's when someone is so distraught and emotionally strained; they will literally believe they have heard exactly what they want to hear. There's no definitive evidence from the studies on it, but... I believed it had happened to me."

"Why wouldn't you believe she’s in love with you?" Rossi asked.

Reid looked to her. "Why would she be? Even now, I can't comprehend it's true."

Emily met his eyes, smiling. It was true. Even without words, it was obvious it was true... and she would tell him every hour of every day if that's what it took for him to believe it.

"So..." Morgan urged. "What happened? Did he walk out or just pull you into another mind blowing kiss?"

With a small sigh, Emily continued. "Honestly, I expected the former..."

* * *

**December 25th**

"What?" Reid uttered, stupefied.

Emily could only manage a light sob. She closed her eyes and hung her head, mentally begging him to leave.

A very long silence passed. She couldn't bring herself to look at him. Her wrists ached under the grasp of his hands, which weren't loosening up any time soon.

"Emily..." He said, his tone much softer now. "Is that true?"

Now that it was out, it was no good lying. Unable to speak, she gave a nod, still trying to pull away.

Even with her assurance, he couldn't believe it. Someone like her could never be in love with someone like him... it just wasn't possible.

But then again, people didn't come back from the dead, either. And Emily had managed that.

"How could Doyle have known about that, though?" He asked.

She stammered a bit as at last she pulled her gaze up, opening her eyes which were swimming with tears. "When he... when he had me captured... I drifted off at one point and... I had a dream about you." Emily took a sharp breath and forced herself to continue. "You found me. You broke into the warehouse, you shot Doyle right in front of me… and you rescued me. You untied me, you carried my beaten body... and you gave me the most beautiful kiss... I must have called out your name a few times because I was suddenly jerked awake and Doyle started asking about you. He hadn’t realized until then… what you truly meant to me.”

She’d begun to falter her words, needing a moment to gather as much composure as possible. With a deep breath, Emily continued. “So when I learned they were sending me to Paris, as much as I hated it, I knew it was the only way to keep you safe. If Doyle knew I had survived, he would have used you to lure me out… he’d have killed you to punish me.”

She lowered her head and started quietly sobbing again. All she wanted was for him to leave. He got his answer, and was surely revolted but it, so now he could leave. It was breaking her heart to stand here and reveal this, just seeing him stare at her, knowing how much he hated her.

Her wrists were free before she could realize it. As she came back to her senses, Reid was pulling her into his arms, bringing her to cry on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Emily," He muttered, his lips pressed to the top of her head. "I’m so sorry. I didn't mean what I said, I was just angry."

That made her sob harder, unable to reply. Her hands clung to the white t-shirt he wore, afraid he'd disappear from her grasp at any minute.

"Why couldn't you just tell me?" He asked. "Even if you couldn't say anything before tonight, you could have told me on that balcony."

"You're telling me you would have understood?" She asked, pulling away to see his face.

"Of course, I would," He smiled, reaching up to brush her tears from her cheeks. "Because then I would have told you I'm in love with you, too."

Reid had to be humoring her. "No, you're not."

"Emily, why do you think I've been so angry?" He asked. "I can't even look at you and not think about how much I want you... I realized it when you were in surgery and we were in the waiting room. I knew that it wasn’t just some crush, I’m in love with you. You mean more to me than anything, my own life. It was suddenly so clear, I couldn't understand why I never comprehended it before. But at that moment, I swore, as soon as you were awake, I was going to fall to your bedside and tell you the truth because I couldn't stand one more minute of being apart."

"Oh, Spencer," She muttered, "I'm so sorry I put you through this."

Simultaneously, they moved to hold each other again. Reid rested his head on her shoulder, inhaling the vanilla again. She ran her fingers through his hair over and over, her other hand caressing his back.

And then he couldn't stand another moment. Reid ripped himself from her grasp, taking her by surprise. He moved and quickly kissed her, lifting her up so only her tiptoes remained on the floor. Emily hung onto him to avoid the fall, because his kiss made her feel like she was flying.

It was the third kiss they had shared together and by far the greatest one yet. Emily rested her hand on his cheek while his landed on her shapely hips, both completely lost in the taste and the feel. With everything out in the open, they could let their guard down, enjoying every touch, every stroke, and every shiver. It was the perfect gateway to a sensual night to come.

Their lips parted. Without opening their eyes, both rested their brows on the other, just trying to catch their breath. Emily's hand ran into his hair, burying it in the soft tendrils.

"How long?" She asked.

"Huh?" Reid mumbled as at last he opened his eyes. He was so dizzy from the kiss, he barely heard her.

"How long have you been in love with me?" She asked, smiling.

"Does it matter?" He asked, looking deeply into those beautiful brown eyes he wished to drown in them.

"No, I'm just curious." At that, she brought her arms to wrap around his waist, their middles right against each other.

Reid was a bit bashful, looking away from her for a minute. He was so cute, and finally Emily could admire him as much as she wanted without fear of being caught. "Well... like I said, I fully realized it when you were hurt... but, I've always had a crush on you... since the moment JJ introduced us and I shook your hand. I thought you were so pretty... just the way your silky hair framed around you... and your smile lit up your angelic face... I was so lightheaded and nauseated; I thought I had food poisoning or influenza."

She let out a loud, fervent laugh and Reid felt lightheaded all over again.

"Okay, so what about you?" He asked, leaning closer to her. "I doubt it was the exact same way... or for as long."

"No, definitely not," She said, her voice soft and dreamlike. "I guess I started developing a bit of a crush on you over the years. I thought you were cute and funny and so sweet, and I did love you. You were my best friend and I loved you in that way... but I always just thought any attraction was a silly infatuation with a lack of a regular sex life. I didn't realize I had fallen for you until Colorado."

Reid's smile suddenly faded away. He looked at her with such sadness and a little bit of fear; how could such a horrible moment in their lives be the time that everything changed?

"Do you remember... when we were in the bunker... and Cyrus knew one of us was an agent?" She asked.

"I could never forget that." He shook his head, still haunted by the sight of watching her be dragged away by her hair.

"When he confronted us... I saw him put that gun to your head." She shook her head, trying to shake the memory from her mind. "That's when I knew. My gut twisted and my heart pounded in my chest... I thought I was about to lose you. And I just stepped in."

She hung her head a moment. "I was confused by it for a while, but eventually it all just made sense. I loved you. I wanted you, for as long as I could... I never thought you could ever feel the same. I’m eleven years older, to start with… I just couldn’t imagine what you would want with a woman like me."

It was a phenomenon. He couldn't believe someone as incredible as Emily Prentiss would think she wasn't good enough for him... it was supposed to be the other way around.

But it didn't matter, and tonight, nothing mattered. The worry, the impending problems of the outside world needn't be discussed. There was nothing they could do right now, even if they wanted to. With that freeing thought, Reid moved to meet her lips again. They shared another beautiful, loving kiss knowing they were safe in this perfect sanctuary. They were together and in love on the most magical night of the year. And as long as they could be like this, the snow could just keep on falling.

* * *

**January 1st 2:05 AM**

The girls all cried out in awe, the climactic kiss of the great love story.

"And that was it." Emily admitted. "We finally got over the hurdle and discovered everything we'd been wishing for was just waiting for us all along."

"Very sweet," Rossi nodded. "So what happened next?"

"Well, needless to say, we got up late the next morning-" Reid mentioned.

"-Uh, uh!" Morgan cried with a grin. "You skipped a chapter."

"Yeah," JJ agreed. "What happened after that kiss?"

They all were eager for more details. "What?" Emily said, the grin on her face giving everything away. "We went to bed."

"And we got a good night's rest." Reid added.

"I didn't realize we were getting the PG version of the story." Garcia pouted.

"I have no idea what you guys are talking about." Reid sincerely remarked, his big hazel eyes filled with virtue.

Hotch was right on board with the others. He gave Reid a very thoughtful expression. "You know, I'm starting to wonder if that innocent schoolboy persona is just an act. You can't honestly say the two of you were alone in Emily's bedroom in the middle of the night and you just went to sleep?"

The happy couple looked to each other and smirked. "That's our story and we're sticking to it." Emily announced to the group.

Everybody groaned at that, like little kids hearing they had to go to bed. As they pleaded and protested, argued and debated, Reid caught Emily's eye. They remembered it vividly, and some things were best left a mystery. The rest of that night was just for them.


	7. Lost in the Moment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter officially changes the rating to Mature. Feel free to skip if you don't wish to read.

**December 25th**

They'd been kissing for almost ten minutes, only breaking contact to replenish oxygen and returning quickly. Each connection became more and more electric, and Emily knew she couldn't let him leave tonight.

Her hands landed on his hips, feeling the hem of his pants. She clutched the fabric in her hand and started pulling him back towards the bed.

Their kiss broke suddenly as Reid said, "Emily... what are you doing?"

"Oh, come on," Emily said with a seductive simper. "I understand if you don't have much experience, but you're not that innocent, Dr. Reid."

"I have adequate experience, thank you." He said, playfully offensive. "I'll be happy to show you how much, but we can't do it here."

"Why not?" She asked, her hand seizing his t-shirt again. "Here, in my childhood bedroom, my mother right down the hall... it makes me feel like a teenager again."

He chuckled. "Me, too, actually."

Her jaw dropped slightly. "Spencer Reid! I am shocked!"

"It's not a big deal." He grumbled, his cheeks tinging with pink.

"I never would have guessed."

"It was nothing!" He hissed. He couldn't get out of telling this story now. "Okay, it was my first time. When I was seventeen, I tutored high school kids to make some extra money. My mother's disability checks were just not enough to make ends meet, and it seemed the perfect job to use my abilities and schedule my own hours."

"You're rambling, Reid." Emily pointed out.

"Right, sorry," He cleared his throat. "Anyway... my mother was taking a nap one day and there was this one girl I was tutoring in Calculus and... well, I suggested this one book for her to read, but I left it in my room. When I went up to get it, she… followed me."

His cheeks turned as bright as the twinkling decorated lamp posts through the neighborhood; he looked away from her. He couldn't stand the ridicule and teasing sure to come forth from this.

At last, Emily asked, "Was she pretty?"

Taken off guard, Reid looked up and met his eyes. If he didn't know better, he'd say she was a little jealous. He gave a smile. "No where near as pretty as you." He assured. "Anyway, she only did it because she was failing Calculus and thought I'd be inclined to help her cheat on her final exam if she had sex with me. I told her if I had known that was her intention, I never would have let her into my house in the first place. She had to retake the class in summer school in order to graduate."

"Such ethics, Dr. Reid," Emily noted. "How can I resist a man with such moral fiber?"

"Do you really think we should?" He asked. His eyes darted to the modest yet comfortable looking double bed and longed to lay her down on it and bring her to complete ecstasy.

"Spencer..." She reached up and breathed against his ear. "I love you, you love me, we both ache for each other, what other reason do we need?"

Emily placed soft, butterfly kisses on his ear. He knew he should argue. This wasn't proper. They should go on dates, become more comfortable with each other before they even considered going to this level... but the feel of her warm breath on his skin, her soft body in his arms, the subtle swivel of her hips right against him... oh, he couldn't resist her any longer.

He turned his head to find her lips again, responding wholeheartedly. He wanted her and this was the only place he wanted to be. And with that, moved to take complete control. His arms wrapped around her waist, lifting her to his level. She was completely swept off her feet, her arms going around his neck once again. He easily guided her the few steps backwards to the foot of the bed.

As her body came in contact with the covers, she pulled from him slightly, inching nimbly up to the pillows. Reid knelt on the bed, easily moving to join her. The anticipation of watching him come to her level filled her with vibrating tingles through every bit of her body.

He didn't lay directly on her, but instead to the side. His first move was a tender kiss, reaching over her to take her hand. His fingers entwined with hers, completely and utterly connected in such a perfect moment. None too soon, he moved his lips to press a light kiss to her jaw line and moving down to her neck. There, he enveloped her flesh, nibbling and sucking on a chosen spot.

Emily sighed lightly at the delicate feel. It was practically chaste, but she loved the attention. Reid had plenty of tricks up his sleeve, though. He continued his work on her neck, taking her by surprise by biting down, like a vampire claiming his victim. Unable to help herself, Emily cried out with a sharp squeak of delight.

Pulling away from her, Reid reached up to meet her eyes. There was a grin on his face that was practically wicked. "Now that's a sound I have to hear again."

"Keep it up and you will." She smiled and bit her lip. "What else can that amazing mouth do?"

"Oh, you will see, my love." He leaned in, brushing his lips on hers. He released her hand to cup her cheek and brought her into another kiss. Emily's other hand reached to bury in his gorgeous hair, her nails lightly scraping his scalp and he moaned at the feel.

The kiss went from chaste to passionate in mere seconds. Reid's tongue quickly claimed her mouth, just as he did on the dance floor, releasing a soft moan from her. Emily didn't even consider what his hands could be doing at the moment until one suddenly stroked over her breast. Instantly she pulled from his mouth to gasp. Even through her tank top, the feel was exhilarating. He continued to lovingly stroke it until her erect nipple was prominent through the fabric.

As he caressed the sensitive bump, he leaned over to press adoring kisses on her cheek, just beside her ear. She couldn't help but close her eyes and just revel in the feel for a minute. Reid's body was right against hers and she could feel his excitement on her thigh, much more prominent than earlier in the evening. How he was able to be this excited and move this slowly was an anomaly.

She was desperate for more, but Emily just enjoyed. Reid wanted to move at his own pace; she had no problem letting him be in control. That was the beautiful part of being with someone she trusted so; she could allow herself to be completely submissive and know he'd never take it too far.

At last, Reid sat up. His hands went under her tank top and slid it up her torso. Emily sat up just enough to pull it over her head and as she was clear of the fabric, she collapsed onto the pillows again. Her raven hair was spread before her on the pillow, her face had a flush that made her glow and it moved all the way down to her bare breasts and taut stomach. Reid stared at her for a moment, the shadow of a delighted smile crossing on his face before he leaned down to suckle her neck again, laying over her at last. Emily loved the weight of him. He was strong and capable, but she could easily move and adjust herself under him. Maybe it was cliche, but she couldn't help but think how perfect they fit together.

He pressed soft, delicate kisses down her neck to her collar bone and at last to her chest. He first kissed her sternum where he remained for a long time. Emily bit her lip, only to keep from crying out that she needed him. Her breasts were aching; she needed to be touched desperately. At the very least, as Reid pressed a kiss to one curve, he lifted his one hand to lightly tickle over a hardened rosy nipple. She whimpered lightly at the subtle caress, loving it and wanting more at the same time.

"Spencer... please..." She whined softly, adjusting her legs to try and bring him closer.

He let out a chuckle. "All you had to do was ask."

Reid was loving this, hearing her grumble lightly. He adored having this authority over her. Emily Prentiss, always so confident and intimidating was absolute putty in his hands right now. He wanted to drag this out, to savor every touch and kiss, and the fact that it was him driving her half out of her mind was better than Reid ever could have hoped for. He could definitely put off his own needs for the time being.

He pressed sensitive kisses along her breast until finally he engulfed her nipple in his mouth, suckling and toying it with his tongue. Emily let out a satisfied moan, but quickly silenced herself to whimpers... she couldn't risk being caught now, not when her desire was building so rapidly.

His other hand came up and cupped her other breast, massaging it gently. The moans and soft squeaks coming from this gorgeous girl were making his mind foggy. Reid had to keep reminding himself this wasn't a dream, that the woman of his greatest longing was not only lying here for his pleasure, but wanted him in turn, aching and shuddering with lust for his body.

His mouth moved to the other nub and suckled it as well. Emily's legs adjusted on either side of him and he knew she was searching for some kind of pressure relief down there. Releasing her delicious nipple, he moved back up to meet her eyes, bringing her into another powerful kiss. As their tongues battled together, her hands running up and down his cotton covered back, lingering on the hem, he adjusted himself so his erection nuzzled right on the ache between her legs. She couldn't resist the moan that escaped from her throat, thankful he was still there to swallow it.

Reid had intended the move to drive her crazy, but it backfired. The feel of the sweet friction they created made him pause for a moment, relishing the sensation. He had to pull away for a moment to gather his composure again, letting out a slow moan.

"You're wearing too many clothes." Emily informed, taking advantage of his moment of weakness. She pushed him back onto his knees, removing his t-shirt. He had such a beautiful, lean body. Just as he had, she started on his sternum, pressing light kisses on his heated body. The smell of him was so intense, like it was tattooed into his skin. Emily lightly dragged her tongue on his flesh, almost certain there was coffee infused in it.

She moved over and sucked on his pert nipple, just as he had done, and Reid knew he was slowly losing his grasp. He let out deep, throaty moans and groans, lost in the feel of her kisses, the swirls of her tongue, those soft fingers, tracing the line of reddish brown hair down from his navel.

He came back to Earth as she attempted to reach beneath his waistband. "Oh, no," Reid said, taking her arms to push her away. "You're not getting off that easy."

"Spencer..." Emily whined with a grin as he pushed her back on the pillow. She longed to touch every inch of his body, to live out the fantasies she'd envisioned over the years.

"I love it when you say my name." He said sweetly, moving to claim her neck again. "It drives me crazy, Emily..."

Light kisses pressed on her neck and down her body as he pulled away from her. His hands positioned on her hips and bunched her pajamas in his hands. She lay back in anticipation as he slowly slid the last of her clothing away, tossing them aside. He knelt before her and stared at her in all her glory.

Though she would hide it, Emily would always feel so cheap when a man first saw her naked, usually seeing nothing but lewd satisfaction in her lover’s eyes. Not this time. Reid’s gaze was filled with an almost worshiping adoration. It made her feel like a goddess. "You are so beautiful."

The smile that spread on her face made her twice as gorgeous. Reid could resist her no longer. He returned to her neck, but didn't linger too long before moving back to her chest. Emily wasn't even trying to take control or even give him the same attention. She just lay back and savored the tender pleasure he was giving her.

As he claimed her breast again, his one hand became like a spider, tickling her along her firm belly. Emily couldn't help but giggle, the prospect of where he was heading building the intensity. He abandoned the work on her chest to move up to her again and just as he brought her into a kiss, his fingers plunged into her moisten folds.

Reid adored the effect he was getting from her. The fact that she was so turned on, she had to pull away in order to cry out. It was difficult to control himself at the feel of the wetness under his fingers, but he managed it. He had to make this last as long as possible because he couldn't bear the thought of letting her go.

"Spencer..." She exhaled as he began to massage her sensitive bunch of nerves. Her legs twitched and writhed on the mattress, so many emotions and pleasures spreading over her face. The reaction of their mistletoe kiss had nothing on this moment. Reid fell in love with her all over again, watching her begin to lose control. He reached up to press his lips on her temple and slid two fingers inside her.

"Emily," He sighed in her ear, listening to her struggle to keep her voice quiet. "You're so gorgeous... so wet… so soft..."

She forced her eyes to open and looked over to meet his. Even in the darkness, they were so bright and alive, looking at her with all the love he felt for her. The pressure and vehemence was building between her legs and Emily knew it would be soon. She bit her lip so hard to try and keep quiet it almost drew blood, she felt herself get closer... and closer... she allowed her eyelids to fall and he head to drop back, ready to fall apart...

And then it stopped. Everything was still. Afraid she'd been in some torturous dream, Emily opened her eyes to find Reid had pulled away from her, kneeling between her legs.

"What..." She looked at him confused, breathing heavy.

"Something wrong?" He asked with an innocent expression.

"Spencer..." She whined again, although this time in no way smiling. It was odd he was that loving and talented... and inexperienced enough not to know the telltale signs. "I didn't... finish..."

"I know," He grinned. "That's the plan."

"What plan?" She asked, sitting up on her elbows.

"You'll see, my love." He answered, going to press tender kisses along her torso. She wanted to be mad, to protest and demand satisfaction... but just hearing him call her that, to know she was his love... she let Reid take over, to go at his pace and execute whatever plan this was.

The kisses on her skin were sweet and sensual. Emily lay back down and buried her fingers in his hair. He remained there for such a long time, wanting to be sure she was relaxed again, her coming orgasm now practically non-existent, and then began to move further south. She felt him move to the ugly, disfiguring scare on her abdomen. She dreaded what seeing that would do to this moment, waiting for some bitter comment... but all he did was press a long, loving kiss to it. His way of telling her the past didn't matter and she was beautiful in his eyes. Without a word, he moved from the scar and past her hips, unyielding in his journey downward. Emily moved to spread her legs wider to give him better access, hoping her predictions of his next move were correct.

Settling between her legs, Reid took in the beauty of her slick womanhood. It made his erection throb so much, it was almost painful. He almost gave in to taking her right then... but he composed himself. Everything had gone so perfectly so far, he had to keep going. Leaning forward, he ran a quick swipe of his tongue which made her jerk violently under him and let out a light, thankful sob. With a grin, he went in for more.

It was better than she had ever imagined. The mouth she had watched for years, spilling forth information and give the most innocent of smiles was in truth not so innocent at all. She remembered being envious of that cupcake at the party and now knew she had every right to be. He alternated licking and suckling her engorged clit, sending pulse after pulse of titillation through her body. Her toes were curling of their own will and Emily was panting and choking as she tried to keep her voice quiet. His hand came back into play as he slid those same two fingers inside her... she shuddered a bit, feeling the heavenly pressure build and build. Her foggy mind suddenly had an idea and claimed the unused pillow beside her, which she quickly clamped over her face. It allowed her to call out to her content, smothering the sound to a light muffle.

Reid continued his slow work, gloating in the salty sweetness of her. God, she even tasted like vanilla. The tremble of her thigh muscles were a clock to the ticking time bomb between her legs. As her stifled cries became deeper and more desperate, he knew she was almost there. He gave another second or two of divinity before he came to a sudden stop and pulled away.

Just seconds before her release, everything halted again. Emily groaned in vexation as she tossed the pillow aside. "Spencer!" She cried in fury, her eyes - blazing with hysteria - spotted him kneeling before her again, stifling his giggles. "Why do you keep doing that!?"

"Relax," He whispered, sliding his damp hand along her lower belly to soothe her. "It's all a part of my plan."

"What plan is that, to frustrate me out of my mind!?" She shrieked.

"No," he said through laughter. She was just so cute, so angry and disarrayed at the loss of a climax. Watching her made his body ache for her even more, but he held off. "There's a technique of tantric sex in which a woman builds her body up just to the point of release... and then backs away. If she does this several times, the eventual orgasm will be much more satisfactory."

"Are you sure it's not just to torture me for leaving you for seven months?" She asked with a questioning tilt of her head.

He considered it a moment. "Maybe to a small degree."

Emily couldn't be mad at him. As she sat up, she giggled, so taken at how adorable he was. Her hands landed on his pants and didn't give him a second to disagree. She pressed gentle kisses to his navel as she moved the garment off his hips and down his thighs. Her eyes landed on his fully erect cock and gasped, her hands sliding over his toned hips on either side of it.

Perhaps she should repay him for his recent attention. Emily leaned down and swiped a quick lick over the head of the member, causing him to twitch. Reid didn't want to let her take over, but it happened before he could stop it. He was completely engulfed inside her hot, wet mouth and his eyes rolled in the back of his head, letting out a soft growl.

She chuckled again and the vibration made him groan even louder. His hands landed on her upper arms, bracing himself with the strength of her body. He was becoming just as helpless as she was, losing his composure. "God, Emily..."

This was not an act Emily performed often. In her experience, men who desired blow jobs did so because they had no real respect for women. She thought more of herself than to succumb to that. It took a special kind of man to even convince her to do this... so the fact that she was doing it without the slightest bit of request just proved to herself that Reid was different. She truly loved this man.

Reid didn't want it to end; he'd never felt pleasure like this. It was so much better than his mind could ever imagine, and he’d envisioned this very scene so many times. But no, he wanted more tonight. He gripped her arms so painfully, it was sure to reveal bruises in the morning, but he needed all the strength he had to force her to stop. With only a slight bit of difficulty, he pulled her away and quickly laid her on her back again, nestling into the cradle of hips. He loved the feel of her bare thighs resting against his torso.

"If memory serves, you are on the pill, right?" He asked, remembering her mentioning it to JJ some time back. "Because if not… I can… I mean, I’ll make sure to…to, um…"

She bit her lip, trying not to giggle at his adorable shyness. Even lying here naked with her, he was still so sweet and reserved. She placed her fingers on his lips, sighing “We’re safe.”

Reid breathed with relief as he kissed her fingertips. He was barely able to control himself now, he might not be able to stop once they came together. With a small smile, he found her other hand, entwining their fingers together again. He looked deeply into her eyes and whispered, "I love you, Emily,” and with that shifted a bit to sheath himself inside her.

Burying her face in his shoulder, she let out a muffled cry. Her arm wrapped around him, holding him close as she adjusted to the feel of him in her heat. Still clasping her hand in his, he gave her a few seconds before he slid out slowly and thrust back in at a gentle speed.

He did that over and over again, taking great care to go slow. After each thrust, she let out a light moan. She leaned back from his shoulder, resting her head back on the pillow. Reid rested his head on her brow and waited for her to open her eyes. As she did, he gave her a smile. A real, honest, joyful smile that told her just how happy he was to be here. That this was the place he had longed to be for so long. She returned it eagerly and began to feel an odd sensation she'd never felt in bed before. The emotions were so strong and the intimacy was so great, it was causing tears to build in her eyes.

Reid reached up to press another kiss to her temple, setting their rhythm a bit faster. Sweat was starting to build and pour over their skin, their pace picking up speed.

"Spencer..." Emily stammered out a cry. The teasing release building up for a third time. She couldn't bear it if she lost it again. "Don't stop... please don't stop..."

"I wouldn't dream of it this time." He assured, hissing in her ear. "Just let go... I won't let you fall."

Her legs moved to wrap around his hips, reaching up to meet each of his thrusts. They weren't even trying to be silent anymore, forgetting why they needed to be quiet in the first place. Reid groaned as Emily's fresh fingernails dragged down his sweaty back, the warm heat building in his stomach and he couldn't wait to at last let go of his own release, anticipating it like a kid on Christmas morning.

"Spencer... oh, Spencer..." She cried out, over and over in a sultry, breathy tone that made the hair stand on the back of his neck.

Reid wanted to hold out. He wanted to just be here, thrusting into her and bring her burst after burst of pleasure until she passed out, but he couldn't keep his body at bay much longer. Needing her to reach her bliss, he released her hand at last and shifted to reach between them, beginning to massage her clit once more, bringing a throaty groan from her as she arched her back.

The ecstasy built more and more inside her. Emily was clawing so hard at Reid's lower back, she was afraid she'd draw blood, but it just couldn't be stopped. She'd been this close twice before and thirst to reach the peak. His thrusts sped up, his hand applying more pressure and, bit by torturous bit, she grew closer... and closer... and closer... She was right on the edge, gasping and moaning as she stared into that great precipice, desperate to fall in.

And then... it happened. Everything went white and silent around her as the climax finally consumed her, her world was nothing but pulsating bliss in every inch of her body. Reid slowed down his movements, holding back so he could watch her, wanting to take this all in. Her eyes rolling back as the emotions spread over her face, her relentless cries, every muscle in her body spasming around him... she was so beautiful, so unbound... so free. Utterly and completely free. Reid was never going to be able to look at her the same way again.

What felt like hours was only a matter of minutes. Her exhausted body finally collapsed on the bed, her hands sliding down the sides of his slick torso. Catching her breath, Emily opened her eyes and met Reid's, giving him a smile.

"I think... you were right... about that." She mumbled, struggling to form actual words.

Reid gave a satisfied smile. "Well, I am a genius."

Emily giggled, wrapping her arms around him to bring him closer. He was still inside her, holding himself in check. "It's your turn, Baby,” she growled, and brought him into a full kiss.

Reid was grateful, finally allowing his primal instincts to take control. His thrusts sped up, leaning down to burying his face in the crook her shoulder and becoming completely unbridled.

"Oh, God, Emily..." He moaned, reaching up to rest his lips against her ear. "In my wildest dreams, I never knew it would feel this good."

She let out a sigh at his confession, his speed becoming almost erratic. She was so foggy from her orgasm, she could hardly even think. It was surreal to be completely lost in the moment. There was no past, there was no future... there was just this. No problems, no fears... just a man and a woman making the most beautiful love.

Emily pulled him closer, pressing a kiss to his brow. "I love you, Spencer," She whispered against his salty skin. Her words gave him the last push he needed to reach his end. With a low, guttural groan of her name, he emptied inside her, grunting harsh expletives with each final vigorous thrust. Emily felt the shudder travel through his body, loving how the always quiet and collected man just let everything go. With a dazed smile, she ran her hand through his disheveled hair.

After a moment, he regained movement. His muscles went limp and Reid guided his body to lay completely on hers, burying his face in her neck, pressing a lazy kiss on her. Emily let out another sigh, wrapping her arm around him, holding him as close as possible.

It was ages before he came down. His breathing eased back to normal. Reid pulled his tired body up to meet her eyes again. "Hi."

"Hi," She said with a smile. Her hand reached over to brush his cheek. "That was wonderful."

"Only because it was you," He said. "I've never felt for anyone the way I feel for you."

Emily continued to run her fingers on his face, tracing them from his temple to jaw. "You know, Spencer... I had a lot of time to think when I was in Paris... and after tonight, after all this, I know without a shadow of a doubt... I love you and I want to be with you for as long as you’ll have me."

He didn't respond at first, and that worried her. She waited, her chest pounding painfully, trying to determine what was going on behind his eyes. "Just promise me one thing."

"What?" She asked. She'd do anything.

"You won't ever leave me like that again." Reid stated plainly.

Emily smiled. "Never never."

Reid gave the brightest grin she'd ever seen. He leaned down, just about to meet her lips. Emily closed her eyes ready for the kiss, but it never came.

Opening her eyes, she noticed Reid had turned away. He was looking off to the left and had a different grin on his face.

"What is it?" Emily asked, concerned.

"I didn't even notice... it's after midnight." He turned back to meet her gaze again. "Merry Christmas, Emily."

"Merry Christmas, Spencer." Emily grinned and met him in a slow, loving kiss. Outside her window, the snow continued to fall.


	8. Happy New Year

**January 1st 2:03 AM**

The group had all but forgotten Reid and Emily were still in the room. They sat idly by, just observing their fun conversation and enjoying each other's comfort, waiting for their attention to return. After awhile, their friendly speculating banter died down. The couple turned back to the group, ready to conclude their tale. "Now as we said, needless to say, we both woke up late the next morning."

"Uh, huh," JJ mumbled, knowing full well what had exhausted them so.

Still, they wouldn't yield. "Waking up like that... it was the most amazing feeling... the one you can't really describe until you've been in love. And until that morning... I couldn't even describe it myself..."

* * *

**December 25th**

It was Christmas Morning, late. Emily and Reid had fallen asleep soon after their escapade and remained completely immobile for hours, just wrapped in each other’s arms. For the first time since Emily's departure, both slept completely devoid of nightmares and darkness. All they could feel was blissful calming peace.

Just before eleven, Emily slowly opened her eyes. She let out a sigh as last night’s memories floated to memory... and she realized why she felt so warm. Reid was right beside her, his arms wrapped around her middle, clutching her against him. A huge smile took over her face and suddenly, for the first time in decades, Emily felt so young again. That long forgotten sensation overtook her, as it had when she was a girl and woke up on this, the most magical of mornings, feeling like anything was possible. Emily reached over and pressed a kiss to Reid's cheek, which brought a pleased smile to his face as he slept.

She let out a giggle. Careful not to wake him, she pried herself from his grasp and inched herself out of the bed. The room was a comfortable temperature, but her naked skin chilled a bit as it hit the air. Her pajamas were strewn on the other side of the bed and Emily quickly went to put them back on. Once she was dressed, she went to the closet. There weren't any clothes in here anymore, but there was a long white terry cloth bathrobe which Emily pulled on, tying the sash around her middle. A matching pair of slippers were on the floor. Emily slipped them on her feet. Comfortable now, she took a deep breath. The snow had finally stopped and the bright December sunshine was streaming through the window. Going to the other side of the room, she pushed the curtains open and got a full look.

It was beautiful outside. The sky was a gorgeous blue with a long line of gray clouds on the horizon. The newly fallen snow was powdered on the land as far as the eye could see and the sunshine sparkled and twinkled on each glittering snowflake like they were precious diamonds. Every tree and plant supported tiny piles of the white dust, accentuated by hanging icicles. The entire world had become a Christmas Wonderland.

Emily turned around taking in the sight of her childhood bedroom. It was like a walk-in time capsule, with the cherished and beloved items of her youth all across the room. One shelf was mostly occupied with books, including her Narnia series and the extensive collection of Nancy Drew. There were a few plaques and trophies from various accomplishments that didn't particularly mean anything to her now. On one table sat a large, handmade dollhouse that had been a present on another Christmas morning decades ago. The second shelf on the other side of the room consisted of toys. At least a dozen dolls in beautiful dresses sat and survived the test of time. She had loved those so much when she was younger, it almost pained her to think she had abandoned them by growing up... but perhaps they were just waiting for Emily's return... when maybe she would give them to her own little girl...

”We just got together last night," Emily whispered, a dopey smile on her face. "It's a little early to be thinking about children."

"Hmm?" Reid answered, Emily's hushed voice rousing him from sleep.

Startled, Emily looked to the bed and saw Reid stirring a bit under the covers. He hadn't opened his eyes yet. She worried, wondering if perhaps he wouldn't remember what happened. Maybe he thought it was a dream and when he woke up, he'd still be angry with her.

She made her way over and sat on the edge of the bed. Reaching, she placed her hand over his, waiting to see if he woke up. Lying on his back now, Reid slowly opened his drowsy eyes and soon found her gaze. She sighed with relief as he smiled.

"Good morning, Beautiful," He mumbled, his eyes falling closed again.

"Good morning," Emily smiled. In his groggy state, she felt his hand move to take hers, clasping it warmly as he had last night.

"I'm glad you're here." He said in a bit of groan. "I was afraid it was all some dream."

"It was," Emily said, brushing some of his hair off his face. "It was a dream come true."

At that, he gave a tired smile. "What time is it?" Reid asked, still unable to rise himself awake.

"About eleven." She answered. "Why don't you go back to sleep? I'm going to go down for breakfast, you come down when you're ready."

He mumbled some incoherent thing, which Emily took to mean he agreed. Leaning over, she placed a warm kiss on his other cheek. Reid moved to try and return it, but couldn't quite make contact, sending a kiss out into the air. Emily giggled. She must have exhausted him. With one more brush of his hair, Emily stood and headed downstairs.

The house was quiet. The grandfather clock in the hall sounded the eleventh hour as she headed to the dining room. Emily walked in to find her mother alone at the head of the table reading the newspaper, her reading glasses on and fully dressed already. A full breakfast spread out before her on the table.

"I was wondering when you would pull yourself out of bed." She muttered as Emily approached the table.

"And Merry Christmas to you, Mother," Emily said, claiming a seat at the table.

"Merry Christmas," She said. "Sleep well?"

"Yes, I did," Emily said truthfully. "Thank you for letting us stay here."

"I wasn't about to let you drive home in that storm." Elizabeth folded the paper, setting it to side. She picked up her coffee to take a sip. "And how is Dr. Reid this morning?"

Emily hesitated, pouring her own cup of coffee. "How should I know?"

"Because he spent last night in your room." The ambassador stated plainly.

She almost dropped the China teacup as she lifted it to her lips, taken completely by shock. It suddenly dawned on her how loud they had been... after a while, they had just stopped caring. Emily was mortified to think what her mother had heard.

"What makes you think that?" She said, hating the nervous giggle attempting to erupt in her throat.

Elizabeth gave a smile, obviously enjoying the discomfort her daughter was in. "I sent a maid in this morning to bring him coffee and get his clothes. She told me he wasn't there. I may not be an FBI profiler, but I know how to connect the dots."

Cringing a bit, Emily set her cup aside without taking a drink. "Mother, we didn't plan that-"

"-Emily, I'm not going to lecture you. You're an adult and I know how you feel about him. I'm just glad, for once, everything worked according to plan."

That was odd. She looked at her mother in amazement. Elizabeth Prentiss had an agenda, but she was not that diabolical. "What are you talking about?"

"Emily, it's no secret you and I don't get along. It's probably because we're so alike. Argue that all you want, but it's true. By which case, your taste in men has always been something to be greatly desired."

She did not like where this conversation was going. She was not in the mood to discuss her romantic life today. Elizabeth continued, ignoring her daughter's aggravation. "But that was before you brought home Dr. Reid."

"Mother, I told you, we were just friends." She insisted.

"Exactly, that's what bothered me so." Elizabeth exclaimed. "For once you bring home a man I not only can approve of, who not only respects and loves you, but makes you light up brighter than that Christmas tree in there. I had to do everything in my power to try and push that along." She gave a sinister smile and a shrug. "So, that's why I insisted that you stay. I knew I couldn't force you, but if I made it seem like a demand... well, you were less prone to argue and it might steer things in the right direction. And I'm glad to see it worked."

Emily stared at her, her mouth dropped in amazement. "You are far more twisted than I'd ever realized."

"Funny how your parents can surprise you." She said with a real smile. "You know, your father and I were just friends, too. And then your grandmother did something very similar to bring us together, and we were happy until the day he died."

That unsettled her a bit. As she had said to herself earlier, she and Reid had just gotten together. There was no way to be certain they would be together for the rest of their lives... although she did adore the idea.

"Oh," Elizabeth moaned, misinterpreting her expression. "Don't tell me because I approve, you suddenly despise the poor boy."

"Good morning," Reid announced, coming into the dining room.

Emily turned and spotted him, a smile spreading on his face. Before her mother could say anything else, she jumped out of her seat over to him, pulling him into a full kiss. That should put any of Elizabeth's worries to rest.

Reid was completely taken off guard by this. He stumbled a bit, but soon relaxed, responding to the kiss by bringing her closer. Elizabeth had a satisfied smile.

As they pulled apart, Emily wrapped her arms around his middle, just like last night. She could see the panic in his eyes, but it faded as he found her smiling.

"Good Morning, Spencer, Merry Christmas," Elizabeth said.

"Merry Christmas," Reid replied, a bit embarrassed by this spectacle in front of the ambassador, but holding Emily close just the same. "Uh, I would have dressed first, but my clothes weren't in my room."

"Yes, I had them washed and pressed, they'll be ready by the time you're done with breakfast." She informed, standing. "Please, eat as much as you like, there's plenty. After breakfast, I'll trust you'll want to get home. But I'll see you both for dinner."

"Mother, we're not coming to Christmas Dinner." Emily said, looking up to Reid. "Spencer and I have plans."

The ambassador turned, giving her daughter a serious expression. "After I opened my home to you last night, you're not going to return the gesture by celebrating Christmas with your mother? No, you're both coming. Dinner is at seven, so don't be late." Elizabeth headed towards the hall, turning to give Reid a very serious expression. "And, Spencer, would it be so much to ask for you to wear a suit this time?"

With that, she disappeared down the hall. Reid stood dumfounded for a moment, unsure what just happened. "Did she just insult me?"

Emily let out an unsure laugh, "Welcome to the family."

Reid returned her smile and indicated the table. "Well, I don't know about you, but..." He slipped a kiss on her cheek. "I am ravenous after last night."

Emily giggled as they sat down at the table, side by side. She poured him a cup of coffee as he immediately reached for a croissant, setting it on his plate.

"So..." She began. She did not want to ruin this perfect setting, she wanted to just eat and relax with the man she had loved for so long, but they had to face this sooner or later. "We have a lot to figure out, don't we?”

"What's to figure out?" Reid asked, ripping a piece of his roll off.

She looked at him surprised. "A lot. I mean... what is this? Are we in a relationship now? Where is this going? And what are we supposed to tell the team?"

"Well," Reid said as he chewed. "Unless you disagree, I'd say the answers are yes, let's just wait and see, and... nothing."

Emily was taken a back. Reid was usually so careful, he studied every angle of something before he came to a conclusion. "You want a relationship with me?"

"Of course," He exclaimed, like it were obvious. "Emily, I'm in love with you. I've felt this way for you since we met and it's only gotten stronger. When you were dead... the only way I could survive was just to go from sunrise to sunset, just one day at a time, because I ached for you so much... trust me, I'm not going into this on a whim."

She smiled, "Me, neither."

His reaction was the same, reaching over to take her hand. They sat for a moment, lost in each other’s eyes. "Look..." Reid finally said. "I know you're a person who’s used to just diving in, but I prefer to get my feet wet first... so I would like to take this slow and handle things as they come. I know there are no guarantees in life, that there's a chance this won't work out, but I think if we take our time... we could be really happy.”

For a moment, she was stunned, just gawking at him in amazement. But as it passed, her face spread into a smile. Placing her hand on the far side of his face, Emily pulled him close to place a kiss on his lips. "I think taking it slow is perfect."

"And, by the same note, why does the team even need to know?" Reid asked, turning to her again. "I mean, we're not getting into anything too serious yet. Maybe in six months or so, we'll bring some of them into the loop, but right now... let's just let it be about you and me."

He made it so simple. Reid always made her life less complicated. She couldn't figure why she'd been so worried in the first place. "Now," Reid said, brushing her cheek with his hand. "Unless there's something else we need to discuss, let's relax and enjoy our Christmas breakfast."

"Sounds good," Emily said, reaching for a cinnamon bun.

They served themselves and began to eat, talking and laughing happily. Everything seemed so foolish now, getting angry and upset. But, if it was what brought them together, then all the pain and torment was worth it, as it always was in happy endings.

"It's kind of ironic," Emily said as she set her orange juice down. "I've always considered my mother's parties as the seventh circle of Hell. Who knew it would end up being our first date?"

"Oh, no," Reid said as he worked on his third piece of toast. "Your mother's party is in no way our first date. It's just the... prelude."

Excitedly, Emily asked, "So where are we going on our first date?"

Reid gave her a secretive smile. "You'll see."

* * *

**January 1st, 2:13 AM**

"And that was it." Emily said, snuggling close to Reid again. "We went to dinner that night with the other guests, some of which were present at the party the night before, including Senator Iddlemen, but... we had no qualms this time about being close and romantic with each other. We went back to my place after, we're we've spent most of the last week."

"Except when I needed a few changes of clothes." Reid added.

"That is a nice story." Rossi said. "But what about that first date?"

"Yeah," Garcia cried. "When was it? Where did you guys go?"

"Well..." Emily smiled again. "Actually, it was right before we came here."

"Oh, really?" Morgan said. "So when Reid called and said you had car trouble and he had to pick you up-"

"It was just an excuse so we could ride together." He explained.

JJ spoke up, her curiosity getting to her. "So what was this date? Dinner and dancing?"

"That's what I expected." Emily explained. "But I should have known Spencer would never plan anything that ordinary..."

* * *

**December 31st, New Year's Eve**

"Won't the others be suspicious when we show up together?" Emily called from her bathroom. Reid was in the next room, sitting on her bed as he tried to tie his sneakers. It was a difficult task since Sergio kept playing with the laces. The fuzzy black kitten had taken a great liking to his Mommy's new boyfriend.

"Don't worry, I'm going to call Morgan in a half an hour." Reid assured, giving the cat a few strokes along his furry back. "I'll explain to him that you lost your transmission and I need to pick you up."

It seemed easy enough. Emily was finishing brushing her hair one more time, looking over her appearance. She wore an old pair of jeans and a knitted red sweater with Norwegian snowflakes in white. Reid had said they were having their first date tonight, but had only given her one clue. Stepping into the bedroom, she stood before him. "Is this okay?"

"You look beautiful," He said with a smile. His attire hadn't wavered from the usual. "You dressed warm? Just as I said?"

"Yes, I have several layers on underneath." Emily assured. "Now will you tell me where we're going?"

All he did was check his watch, positioned perfectly over his sweater. "It's time to leave. Let's go."

He reached out for her hand, which Emily accepted with a smile. He led her down the steps to the front hall of her brownstone where Reid quickly got her coat. Emily noticed a parcel sitting on the side table. It was wrapped in silver and gold wrapping paper, a ribbon tied around it in matching colors.

"Spencer," She said as he lifted the garment over her shoulders. "What's that?"

"That," He said going over to claim it, "Is your second clue to what we're doing tonight."

Reid went over to fetch it, handing it to her with a smile. "Merry Christmas," he said as he pecked a kiss on her cheek.

Emily excitedly took the package. She almost hated to open it; it looked so pretty, but the contents inside intrigued her too much. Pushing the ribbon aside, she ripped the paper at the seams and revealed a small white box. Emily allowed the paper to flutter to the floor as she lifted off the lid, staring excitedly inside.

Confused, she reached in and removed to pieces of dark blue fabric. "Mittens?" She asked.

But all she got out of him was a smile. Reid went over to open the door, allowing the cold end-of-the-year draft into the warm home. "Come on," he offered his hand.

Once again, Reid drove. Emily examined her mittens for some time, but they were nothing more than what they seemed. No amount of profiling skills were giving her answers. Dress warm, a pair of mittens... and they drove for quite a while. So far, in fact, they were well out of the city into the rural Virginia.

It was almost seven when Emily spotted the sign that said Mijavec’s Feed Store before a makeshift driveway that disappeared into the woods. It was covered in yesterday's snowfall, but with all the tire tracks, obviously they were doing a lot of business. That's where Reid turned in.

"A feed store?" She asked, "Are your horses out of hay?"

But still, Reid said nothing. In fact, he hadn't said much at all since they left, minus the conversation with Morgan. All he had was a secretive grin on his face and it was driving Emily crazy. Where were they going?

There were at least twenty parking spaces before the store and they were all filled. Reid pulled the car behind the building were there were twice as many spots, most of which were already claimed by vehicles. Unlike at the Prentiss Mansion, most of these consisted of clunkers and pick-up trucks, making Reid's stand out as one of the nicest and fanciest of the bunch. Emily was stumped; what could they be doing in the middle of nowhere with a bunch of rednecks that required her to keep warm?

He pulled the car into a spot and put it in park, turning off the engine. Giving Emily a smile, he said once again, "Come on," and opened the door to get out. Emily quickly followed. She hurried over to meet Reid, who looked at her curiously.

"Aren't you going to wear your present?" He asked.

It was bitterly cold out here. "Oh, right," She said, and quickly pulled the mittens on. Satisfied now, Reid took her soft hand and lead her over to the front of the store. They walked in, a small bell tingling to sound their arrival.

There was a strong scent of cedar in the air. The main floor was occupied by pallets carrying different kinds of food for different animals. In another section, there were shelves with all kinds of goodies, from apple butter and farm grown vegetables, to some Christmas wreaths which were now on sale, even homemade candy. It looked like something out a book and certainly a place Emily had never ventured before.

An elderly woman was standing behind the counter. Just the sight of them told her why they were here. With a smile, she pointed towards the back of the store. "Just follow the path, you'll find it."

"Thank you," Reid said, and led Emily through the store. The larger back door stood open and the screen door sufficed as a barrier to prevent woodland creatures from wondering in. Reid guided Emily through, past the pile of firewood for sale and along the path through the dark woods.

Although lights had been hung to illuminate the path, it was still eerie. Emily clung Reid's hand tightly, "You know, this is how horror movies start."

"We're almost there," Reid said with a laugh.

As if by his command, they spotted a large congregation of people at the end of the path. They hurried to catch up. Emily couldn't see through the crowd what the attraction was, clinging to Reid even harder so as not to get lost.

At last, as they moved further to the front. Emily saw the amazing sight and gasped. She had never expected this.

Reid had been waiting for her reaction. He smiled at the amazement on her face as she spotted it. There was a large horse drawn sleigh before them, complete with bells. Her amazement turned to joy as she smiled.

"A sleigh ride?" She asked, meeting his eyes.

"It's not much," He shrugged, "But I thought it would be romantic."

"I think it's perfect!" Emily exclaimed, giving him the biggest hug. "I love it, Spencer."

He held her close, taking a deep breath. Vanilla was quickly becoming his favorite smell. "I'm glad," He whispered in her ear.

They had to wait in line as, two by two, the varying couples claimed their sleigh. One would take two people and head off on the journey. Within a few minutes a different one would return, dropping off others at the end of their ride. Finally, as one dropped off two teenagers, Reid and Emily stepped forward for their turn.

"Tickets," the driver demanded, holding out his hand. Emily was confused, but Reid pulled two pieces of paper from his pocket. He had certainly planned this ahead of time. He climbed on first and held out his hand to help Emily up. Her mitten-clad hand took his and hoisted herself into the sleigh.

The two settled comfortably, cuddled together on the seat. The driver cracked his whip and sent the black Clydesdale down the snowy path into the woods.

Despite her layers, her coat, and her mittens, Emily's teeth were chattering. She snuggled against Reid. Curious, he wasn't shivering at all. "Aren't you cold?" She asked.

'I'm wearing long johns." Reid informed. "They're thermal."

"I wish I had thought of that." Emily said.

"But then I wouldn't get to do this." He said, and with that, Reid pulled her as close as possible, his gloved hands rubbing along her arms to create friction.

Emily smiled, reaching up to place a kiss on his cheek. She rested her head on his shoulder and slipped her arms inside his coat. His body heat warming her better than any sweater or long underwear ever could.

The ride was about an hour long, touring around the vast Virginian wilderness. The woods were beautiful in the night, and it seemed had been decorated a bit by the owners of the feed store with different Christmas touches. There was a vast clearing where a huge Christmas tree had been erected trimmed with different rustic ornaments and garland. As if the animals themselves were celebrating the holiday. Halfway through the ride, they rode along a large river with a strong current. The flow of the water matched the stomping of the horse's hooves and the jingle of the bells perfectly. Right then, as if by magic, snow began to fall from the night sky, littering them in white flakes. Emily admired the perfect world around her, having never seen anything more breathtaking in her life. Reid looked down at the beautiful woman in his arms, the snow falling lightly in her hair and the cold bringing a pink hint to her cheeks. He was thinking the exact same thing.

All too soon, the ride was over. The sleigh brought them back to the beginning. Reid climbed down, helping Emily out to make room for the next couple. He lead her back over to the path. Despite the cold and the falling snow, they took their time. They knew they had to get to Rossi's party, and they knew if they stayed out too long, they were going to freeze... but it was just so perfect. They didn't want it to end.

"Hey," Emily said as they reached the back door. Reid stopped and looked to her. "This was the most perfect first date I ever had."

"It's not over yet," He said, "I noticed something inside I think you'd like."

Curious, Emily followed him in. He ordered her to wait by the door while he went to one of the shelves to fetch it. He brought it to the woman at the counter made his purchase. After accepting his change, he turned and brought the gift over. Emily grinned as she accepted the box. "Homemade fudge!" She exclaimed.

"It's not exactly a healthy dinner, but I can't resist seeing that smile on your face." He said, brushing a hair off her cheek.

The lady behind the counter, who had been watching them, suddenly called, "Um, excuse me."

"Yes?" Reid asked as he turned around.

She smirked as she looked towards the ceiling. "You're standing under the mistletoe."

Just as before, Reid and Emily looked up to confirm it was true. They met each other’s eyes and couldn't help but smile. They didn't need any urging this time. In unison, they reached forward and met in a slow, beautiful kiss.

* * *

**January 1st, 2:23 AM**

Again, the girls exclaimed in awe at end of the story. "Wow," Morgan said, slightly impressed. "I think the student has surpassed the master."

"Ha ha ha," Reid grumbled sarcastically. "Anyway, after we left, we drove back to the city and made it here to the party."

"Yeah, that's something I don't understand." JJ said. "If the two of you agreed to keep this quiet from us, you obviously weren't doing a very good job if we found... that."

"Well, that's my fault." Emily admitted with guilt. "See... Reid and I agreed that we would avoid each other most of the party. We would be civil, even friendly... but you know the beginning of a relationship when it's exciting and new. Every touch is exhilarating, you just want to hold and kiss and caress each other... we didn't want some innocent gesture that we didn't even realize we were doing to get us caught. But... by midnight... I had had enough..."

* * *

**December 31st 11:55 PM**

The new year wasn't far away. Everyone was gathered around the TV, watching the wild celebration in Times Square. It was an intimate party with just the members of the BAU. Reid was busy snacking on cookies and stuffed mushrooms from the refreshments on the dining room table. Emily sat across the room, this time nursing a beer as she watched him, careful not to let that dreamy smile cross her face.

"Hey, Sexy Girl," Garcia cried, coming up beside her. This time, a Happy New Year tiara sat among her blonde curls. She had a glass of punch in one hand and a noise maker in the other. "Haven't heard from you all week, have you been okay?"

"Yeah," Emily said, looking to her with a small smile. "I'm fine. How are you?"

"Good," She nodded. "Christmas was great. I met Kevin's family for the first time. His parents are wonderful, but I think his sister hates me."

"I can't see how that's possible." Emily replied, "Where is your lover boy tonight?"

"Oh, he's assisting in a big case for Cyber Crimes, they asked him to work tonight. Which leaves me stuck kissing the ever popular Derek Morgan." She let out a loud sigh. "It's a dirty job, but somebody's got to do it."

Emily laughed and found her eyes going to Reid again. It wasn't fair... she wanted a kiss at midnight, too.

"Have you talked to him?" Garcia asked, catching on to where she was staring.

"What?" Emily asked, startled.

She lowered her voice, and indicated his direction. "Reid... have you guys talked at all? Or... at least tried to talk?"

"Uh..." Emily was beginning to see the downfall of all this. She really hated lying to her friends. "Well, he drove me here tonight. He didn't seem to have a problem with that."

"That's a step in the right direction." She nodded with a smile. "Is he taking you home?"

"Yeah, I think so," She said, looking around for a change of subject.

"Great!" Garcia smiled. "Just try to get him to open up. You never know, he could be wanting to make up with you, too, and he's just too stubborn to make the first move."

"Maybe," Emily looked into her beer, which was much too full to pretend she need another one. "But, I'd better get something to eat to absorb this. The last thing Reid needs is to drive home a drunk girl."

Without another word, Emily rushed to the dining room to get herself some food. Once she spotted Garcia joining the others in the living room, she moved to sneak up behind her boyfriend. So close, her body was pressing against his.

"Hey stranger," Her heavy seductive voice said in his ear. "I miss you."

"Right back at you," He said, not looking at her. Though he was sure she wouldn't get this close if someone were watching. "I must say, Garcia's sugar cookies are good, but they having nothing on your French toast."

She spotted the TV in the next room. The year had a minute and a half left on the clock. If they were going to do it, it had to be now. "Will you kiss me at midnight?" She asked.

Finally he turned to meet her eyes. "What?"

"It is tradition, you know." She smiled.

"I'm aware." He replied. "Started by Ancient Romans, in fact."

"Those Romans knew what they were doing." She checked to make sure they were still unseen. "Will you kiss me?"

"What if the others see?" He hissed. Honestly, he'd been thinking of this since he woke up this morning... but there was too much at stake.

"We'll make it a fast one!" Emily exclaimed. She looked to him with pleading eyes. Reid could hardly resist the twinkle in them, wanting so badly to give her what she wanted. "Please... I love you."

“I love you, too." He said. "And the Romans believed to kiss someone you love at midnight... would ensure a very fortunate year."

Thirty seconds away. Glasses of champagne were being handed to each member as everyone got ready. Perhaps it was the threat of getting caught, but they were both excited for the idea. Taking each other's hand, they hurried to stand with the group in the living room, but far enough back to have some privacy.

"3... 2... 1... Happy New Year!" Everyone exclaimed, matching the cries on the television.

During the excitement, Reid quickly pulled Emily to him, slipping the sweetest kiss on her lips. Emily sighed, falling into his embrace, and her self-control went with it.

They were slaves to their emotions. Just as they had at the BAU party, they lost themselves in the moment, forgetting where they were... and who was around them.

After a good minute, the two pulled apart, catching their breath and meeting the other's eyes. It took a moment or two to realize that, but for the singing of Auld Lang Syne on the TV... the room was completely silent.

They had been caught. They both wanted to run, but there was no way out. They had to face the consequences. At least they were in this together. Bracing themselves, Emily and Reid turned to the others...

* * *

**January 1st: 2:29 AM**

"And that's where you guys came in two hours and 28 minutes ago." Reid concluded.

"Wow," Garcia said with a smile. "To think, if I hadn't said anything..."

"Yeah," Emily said with a mocking glare. "Thanks for that!"

The cheery girl couldn't help but smile. "Look... we realize this creates complications." Emily said, specifically to Hotch. "It's exactly why we didn't want to tell anyone."

He was silent for a long time. This was not the way any of them wanted to start the new year. At last, he seemed to come to a decision. "There are rules about this." He said sternly.

Gravely, they nodded. After one week, they would have to make some very serious decisions in their career, but they both knew they couldn't give each other up.

"But... rules can be... bent." He muttered. "Even rewritten. Most of them were written specifically because our friendly host here."

Reid looked to Rossi who grinned and said, "You're welcome."

Everyone let out a laugh; even Hotch. "I think... if you two can keep your private lives separate, if you both can remain objective on the job..." He gave them a small smile. "We can keep this quiet for now."

"Really, Hotch?" Reid exclaimed.

"You two are smart, you wouldn't do this unless this is what you really want." He leaned back in his seat, relaxed again. "But if it starts to affect your focus, your judgments, I’ll need to step in. And both of you will have to suffer the consequences.”

"We understand." Emily nodded.

"They bent the rules for me." Garcia said, looking at everyone. "I mean, I know this is a little more complicated, and yeah, the team is being watched like a hawk right now... but you never know, we may be able to keep the team together."

"Let's not worry about it right now." Rossi said. "Today is just about friends and family, and I think we should be happy. It's the start of a new year and the start of a new love, I think we should toast to that." He held up his glass of champagne with a bright smile on his face. "To Spencer and Emily."

Following suit, everyone lifted their glasses, crying "To Spencer and Emily."

The two lifted their glasses in thanks and everyone took a sip. As they swallowed, they turned to each other and gave another real and passionate kiss, which was rewarded by their friend's cheerful applause. It was the start to a very happy new year, indeed.


End file.
